Superwomen of Eva: Emerald Fury
by orionpax09
Summary: When Misato stops the Jet Alone robot, nobody suspects the consequences she must face...or the deadly secret in her blood.
1. Into the Beast

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 1: Into the Beast

_Damn, this sucks!_ Misato thought as she stood at the window of the massive bunker she was stuck in, a set of binoculars held to her eyes. _I swear, if it weren't for the fact that it'd have gotten me fired, I'd have called in sick today!_

On the surface, Misato supposed that the assignment given her had looked fairly innocuous. Just go to Old Tokyo for a demonstration of an experimental robot developed by Japan Heavy Chemical Cooperative, one touted to be superior to NERV's Evangelions, and report on whether or not it lived up to the hype. Even the fact that Commander Ikari was fobbing this assignment off on her had come as no surprise; as the head of NERV, Gendo was often occupied with other forms of business, and probably had things of more immediate importance that warranted his time.

_Either that, or he just didn't want to be bothered with this crappy demonstration,_ Misato decided bitterly. And while she didn't care for the Commander or the way he treated people, this was one thing she couldn't blame him for. Because if she had had the option, she'd have gladly passed the responsibility of coming there onto someone else.

The Operations Director had known right from the get-go that this would not be a good day for her. She had gotten up extra early this morning in order to fancy herself up for the public, which entailed wearing a stiff, uncomfortable dress uniform she'd just as soon burn than look at, she'd been forced to endure an hour-long flight to a desolate region of Japan, all to attend a meeting of various corporate and national representatives that wanted nothing more than to put NERV out of business. And while Misato knew that financing NERV and the Evangelions was a heavy burden on both businesses and nations alike, that didn't mean that she enjoyed being made sport of by them, either.

_Especially that smug asshole,_ Misato thought vehemently, thinking back to the question and answer period, in which her friend Ritsuko Akagi had been made to look the fool by the demonstration's speaker. Glancing over at her friend, who was leaning against the wall with an expression of patent disinterest, she found herself wondering how her college friend could remain so calm after all that. _And the piece of junk that they're saying is better than the Evas…ha!_

"Don't worry, folks. There's no risk at all. Please, make yourselves comfortable and watch through the observation windows," announced the speaker whom which Misato was thinking evil thoughts about. As the other people invited to the demonstration made their way up to the observation windows, the Captain scrutinized the towering mecha being touted as being the perfect weapon against the Angels, and found herself hard-pressed not to laugh.

On the one hand, Misato had to admit that the speaker holding the demonstration had made some good points earlier about the numerous drawbacks to the Evangelions. They were notoriously difficult to control, the mental and emotional pressure they exerted on the pilots was appalling, and their batteries were only good for five minutes of combat power at best, unless their power was supplemented via a power cable. And it was these reasons, combined with her own motives, that made her wish she were able to bear the burden for the designated Children, to wish there was a better way. But even so, there was no doubt in her mind that that way clearly wasn't Jet Alone.

Unlike the giant robots that were so frequently featured in anime, Jet Alone looked positively ridiculous, like a mechanical hunchback. Its arms hung limply like cables with hands attached as an afterthought, the legs looked too small to handle the robot's weight, and the whole thing looked extremely awkward and top heavy. On top of this, it's armor was a joke, it had no weapons whatsoever, had no AT-Field, it was commanded by a remote-controlled AI that could fail with no warning, and had no backup systems. _And if something happens to the nuclear reactor they put in the thing…_ Misato thought darkly as the technicians behind her worked, beginning the test. _Boom! The Angels won't have to wipe us out! The radiation will do it for them!_

And yet, none of these major detriments seemed to register with the people conducting the demonstration, or the others watching it. They all watched as Jet Alone's control rods appeared from its back, something that made it look even more ridiculous, and its visor lit up. "Forward ahead, slow," the head of the demonstration ordered. "Forward right leg."

Rolling her eyes as she continued to listen to the head give orders and Jet Alone kept moving forward, Misato snickered. "Ooh, goody! They got it to walk!" she chuckled, already spotting even further design defects in the robot. "Now _there's _something to be proud of!"

While Misato was daydreaming about Unit-01 taking the stupid bucket apart bolt by bolt, her ears pricked at the head of the demonstration asking, "What's wrong?"

"We've got a problem," one of the techs replied. "The temperature in the primary cooling system is skyrocketing!"

"Open the valves," the speaker ordered calmly. "Insert the neutron deceleration fluid."

"No effect! We've got a system lock!" another tech answered as Jet Alone approached the observation bunker.

"Huh?" Misato muttered, setting aside her binoculars as she turned and watched the Jet Alone personnel work. Noticing the tension that was rolling off them like sweat, the Captain smirked and looked over at her friend. "Check it out, Rits! Looks like the competition has already screwed up!"

"Really?" Ritsuko asked in a bored tone, still wearing that same look of disinterest as she watched the techs frantically trying to shut Jet Alone. "Huh. That's strange. I wonder what -?"

"Ohmigod…" came a voice from off to the side. Turning about, the NERV officials saw the other representatives react in fear and horror, several backpedalling from the windows. "It - it's heading right _for us!_" Reacting on pure instinct, Misato whirled about and looked out the windows. True enough, Jet Alone was stomping towards them, completely mindless of the fact that it was about to stomp through the bunker like Godzilla off for another rampage throughJapan.

_Shit! I _knew _I should have called in sick today!_ Misato screamed in her mind before she and Ritsuko retreated. Knowing there was no way they could outrace the rampant robot, the two women flung themselves to the side of the room. They were just in time, for a moment later, an immense metal foot shattered the roof, sending chunks of concrete raining down upon the people within. Another loud crushing noise was heard, and was echoed by fearful gasps and panicked cries.

Seconds later, the large foot rose up and out of the room as Jet Alone continued on its way, it's footsteps audible even over all the destruction. Once satisfied that the worst was over, Misato ventured closer to the shattered roof. Waving aside a thick cloud of dust, coughing as some of it found its way into her lungs anyway, she gave a self-satisfied smirk. "Damn! This robot's even more obnoxious than the morons that made it!" she decided, giving a shake of her head. Then she turned about to look at Ritsuko, who was still standing against the wall. "You know something, Rits?" she started, speaking in a hushed, wry manner. "I get the feeling that the competition is in deep shit."

Nodding in a slight manner, Ritsuko looked about at the ruined demonstration. "Sure looks that way."

* * *

Several minutes later, Misato's feeling was becoming more and more a reality. Every attempt to shut down Jet Alone had met with failure. And the absolute worst-case scenario, a nuclear meltdown, was looking that much more inevitable.

"This is…impossible," the designated speaker of the Jet Alone demonstration moaned heavily, his face ashen as he tried desperately to deny that this was really happening. "Jet Alone's AI was programmed to handle all possible contingencies and scenarios. This…this simply cannot happen!"

"Impossible, huh?" Misato snorted, clearly too annoyed to take any pleasure in the situation. "Well, guess what! You're about to have an impossible _nuclear meltdown_ on your hands here!"

Wincing at this, the speaker bowed his head somewhat in shame, but still tried to maintain an air of control. "Given our current situation, our only real option is to wait for the system to shut down on it's own."

_"What?"_ Misato squawked indignantly. "And just what are the odds of something like _that _happening?"

"0.00002%!" one of the technicians confirmed. "It would be an act of god!"

"Acts of people are better than acts of god!" Misato retorted without hesitation. "Now tell me how to stop that thing!"

"We've already tried every possibility," the speaker intoned helplessly.

"Not yet! There's got to be a failsafe, a way to wipe out everything!" Misato declared, clearly aware of the standards and practices regarding nuclear-powered weapons. "Now give me the password!"

Taking a step back at this, the speaker heaved a heavy sigh. "The password to delete all programming is top secret," he intoned, his words heavy and empty of emotion. "I'm sorry, but I don't have the authority to release it."

"Then you better get somebody who does, pal! _Right now!_" Misato snarled wrathfully. While Ritsuko stood from a safe distance, watching in silence. Almost amused by her friend's anger.

_So far, so good,_ Ritsuko found herself thinking. _If anybody's willing to back Jet Alone after this, I swear to God I'll volunteer to be the soul for the next Eva that needs one!_

Things couldn't possibly have gone more according to plan. The virus that Ritsuko had designed and that Gendo had arranged to be implanted in Jet Alone had sent it running out of control with its nuclear reactor building up to an imminent meltdown, and was on course for a major city. It would never reach its destination, of course; the doctor had planned too carefully for that. Jet Alone would get maybe three-fourths of the way there before her virus shot it down. Just far enough to make it impossible to cover up or sugarcoat the fact that Japan Heavy Chemical Industrial Cooperative had come within a hairsbreadth of nuking a city and irradiating a large portion ofJapan. Just enough to prevent valuable funds and resources from being diverted from NERV…and completely destroy the company, costing who knew how many people their jobs.

Wincing somewhat at this, and telling herself not for the first time that if she hadn't done it, Gendo would have found someone else who would, Ritsuko distracted herself from this quandary by watching Misato. Her friend knew nothing of the sabotage, of course. She wasn't nearly as deeply immersed in the quagmire that was NERV as Ritsuko was. Which was why she looked ready to explode as she chafed at the load of bureaucratic bullshit she was being forced to endure.

"So now I have to get Mr. Yoshizawa's authorization?" asked the demonstration head as he spoke to yet another corporate executive, trying in vain to track down someone that would allow him to give Misato the code needed to shut down Jet Alone. "Yes, I've gotten consent from Mr. Uitsu. Yes. Of course."

"Grrr…" Misato growled out from between her clenched teeth. "Goddamn bureaucracies…"

Looking more like a timid child than the man that had taken such delight in making a mockery of them earlier that day, the demonstration head set down the telephone. "A written order of clearance is being sent. As soon as it arrives, I'll give you the password."

"It'll be too late by then!" Misato snarled in response. "Once Jet Alone's reactor redlines, there'll be no way to stop it from wipingAtsugiCity!" The speaker apparently had nothing to say to this, which made the purple-haired woman even madder. Growling in distaste, she turned about and started away. "Ugh! We don't have time for this! I'm taking the responsibility for this operation myself. You all can wait right here!"

Realizing that her friend was intent on doing something either insane, stupid, or both, Ritsuko's heart immediately plummeted to her feet before she set said feet into motion. "Misato, what are you doing?" she demanded as she followed the Captain back to the room that had been reserved for them. As soon as the two of them had entered, Misato pulled out her cell phone and began shucking her dress uniform. "Misato?"

"We're out of options, Ritsuko! And if we don't do something right now,AtsugiCityis doomed!" Misato intoned as she stripped down to a pink nightgown before picking up her phone. Hitting the speed dial, she placed the phone so that it was securely placed between her head and her shoulder. "This is Captain Katsuragi speaking! I need you to put me through to Lieutenant Hyuga!"

"Hyuga?" Ritsuko muttered, not liking the sound of this. Her insides twisting about, the doctor's scientific mind began to whirl into activity. She had known Misato for years, having met her in college, and while she had changed somewhat from those days, one thing remained about her. And that was that the direct approach wasn't just the way she preferred to do things, it was the only way she knew how to do them. "Misato…" she began, hoping that she had jumped to conclusions, "_please _tell me that you're not thinking what I think you're thinking…"

"It's the only way, Ritsuko! We – yes, Hyuga?" Verbally pouncing on the voice on the other end, Misato grinned dangerously. The same kind of grin she always had when she had some insane scheme in the works. "Listen to me very carefully! I need you to get one of the transports readied and have Unit 01 fitted the base F-Type equipment! As soon as that's done, bring Shinji and Unit 01 here right away! And I want the JSSDF put on alert!" Even Ritsuko could heard the cry of astonishment that these orders elicited, as well as a few muffled questions. "Yes, this an emergency! Now get it in gear and get moving!"

_Damn. I knew it…! _Suppressing the urge to massage her now throbbing temples, Ritsuko watched as Misato closed her cell phone before going over to a door marked with a hazard sign. "This is pointless! I don't know what exactly you've got planned, Misato, but call it off!" Not at all surprised when her friend failed to respond to this, the doctor she grumbled, "You're actually thinking of using Unit 01 to stop Jet Alone from reaching Atsugi City?"

"Do you have any better ideas, Ritsuko?" Misato asked rhetorically.

Grimacing, Ritsuko found herself clamping down on her own mouth. _Dammit, Misato! There isn't even any danger! Jet Alone will stop all on its own!_ she thought feverishly, wishing that she could tell her friend this. But even as she did so, she knew that she couldn't. She mustn't. Misato wasn't a part of the world she lived in, a world that she hoped that her friend never learned of, let alone saw. And it was a world in which NERV wasn't the salvation of humanity. It was a veritable cesspool of secrets that could make even the most hardened person feel sick to her soul, something she knew all too well. And the man whom commanded her from this world demanded nothing short of absolute obedience.

Almost choking on the invisible muzzle that had been built around her mouth over the years, Ritsuko forced something else out of her mouth. "If Shinji engages Jet Alone, he'll probably cause the meltdown that much faster! You know that!"

"I'm not planning on Shinji fight the thing to a standstill," Misato explained as she opened up the closet, revealing a standard issue hazmat suit. "I just need him to buy me some time to override the computer manually."

"Manu-?" Ritsuko gasped, dumbstruck by what her friend was saying. "Misato…you're not planning on actually going _inside _Jet Alone?" When the Captain didn't respond, the faux-blonde shook her head as she tried to wrap her mind around such blatant disregard for one's own wellbeing. "But the interior must be flooded with radiation!"

"And why do you think I'm putting on this suit, Rits?" Misato grinned impishly as she carefully donned the form-fitting garment. "It's not my idea of a fashion statement!"

"But -!" Ritsuko sputtered, desperate to drive some cold hard logic into her friend's mind. Some sense of self-preservation where it was sorely lacking. "Misato, that's insane! Even with that suit, I can't even begin to calculate the odds of you escaping exposure to radiation! Besides, you don't even have the code to delete Jet Alone's programming! And without that -!"

"I know, Rits. Which is why I'm going to see a certain idiot about coughing it up before Shinji gets here." Sealing up the protective garment, Misato came up to her, and placed her hand on the doctor's shoulder. Flashing the same impish smile she had used in their more innocent, carefree days. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on dying today."

Wishing she could be as carefree, could wear the same smile she had had back in the past, Ritsuko gave voice the deep sadness that was in her heart. "We never do."

Seeing the way her mood dampened her friend's smile, Ritsuko was saddened even more when Misato refused to waver. "Look, I know this is a long shot," she admitted. "But it's the only shot that Atsugi has. And that means I have to go." Without another word, NERV's Operations Director moved past the doctor and exited the room. Leaving the woman who called herself Misato's friend alone with her own thoughts. Her own guilt.

_I could have told her. Told her that there was no reason to go,_ Ritsuko thought, lacking the energy to turn about and go after her friend. Already defeated by Misato's courage, and her own lack of it. But even as she thought this, she knew that there was no way she could tell her. Because if she did, sooner or later, the man who had taken her courage from her one day at time would learn of it. And the day he did, Misato's life would be forfeit.

She had a chance of surviving Jet Alone. A slim one, but still a chance. But against Gendo and the people he represented…there was no chance at all.

* * *

"Are you insane?" the Jet Alone speaker demanded as Misato stood before him, clad in a hazmat suit that was rather reminiscent of NERV's plug suits. "You can't possibly be serious!"

"I'm dead serious," Misato returned, smiling despite the way her heart was pounding.

"But Jet Alone's interior must be flooded with radiation!" the speaker declared incredulously.

Ignoring the temptation to ask if she had had this conversation before, Misato kept her smile in place and her focus on what was important. "I know, but if I can do this, thenAtsugiCitywill be saved." She was about to say something else, something that would hopefully sway him into giving her what she needed. But before she could so much as open her mouth, the Captain started at the sound of metal slamming into metal. Looking about, she saw one of the Jet Alone technicians with a fire axe in hand, with the business end of it buried in a control panel.

"I just cut off our command signal," the tech with the axe declared. "This will disengage the safety locks for the access hatch!"

"Right! It's an automatic function, unaffected by Jet Alone's AI," another tech explained. "You should be able to enter the hatch through the backpack unit!"

Nodding to this, Misato beamed her appreciation for the help being offered her. Only to look about in surprise when help was offered from another source. "Hope," came the speaker's voice. Looking about in surprise, Misato saw him with his hands clasped behind his back and facing the opposite wall. "That's the failsafe password."

Blinking a few times, Misato looked at the man that had taken such pleasure in lampooning herself and Ritsuko, had mocked NERV and accused them of making the war with the Angels even worse, and felt any anger she might once have felt with him fade away. Her mouth sliding open, she found herself wanting to say something to him. To tell him that she sympathized for how difficult his situation was, or that she understood how difficult it must've been for him to do what he had done.

Instead, all she was able to say was, "Thank you."

* * *

As soon as the transport plane carrying Unit 01 arrived, Misato boarded it. Feeling no hesitation or fear as she ordered it to lift off, to carry them to her confrontation with Jet Alone. _I hope it all works out for that poor guy,_ Misato found herself thinking at one point, recalling the speaker and his sacrifice in breaking from the chain of command. _I know his bosses won't be too happy about that._

Making a mental note to find out what his ultimate fate would be after the mission, Misato returned her attention to the present, and focused on the small boy that was seated opposite her. "Our target is Jet Alone," she explained as Shinji looked at her intently, already clad in his plug suit. "There's a danger that it may begin to meltdown in five minutes, therefore we cannot allow it to get any closer to a populated area." The 3rd Child nodded, completely alert and ready, despite being summoned on such short notice. Grateful for this, the Captain turned and looked over her shoulder. "Hyuga?"

"Yes, ma'am?" Makoto responded from his place at the controls.

"As soon as you drop Unit 01, take the transport up to a safe altitude and standby," Misato ordered, determined not to put anyone else's life at risk. Not when she could help it. "And Shinji?"

"Yes?" the quiet boy asked, his storm blue eyes filled with unease.

"Run alongside the target and place me on its back," Misato instructed him, bracing herself for his reaction to her role in this plan. "Once I've gotten on, I want you to try and hold Jet Alone back as best as you can. I'm going to need as much time as you give me."

Before Misato had even completed her sentence, the 3rd Child's face fell in shock. "What?" Shinji gasped, as if unsure he had heard her correctly. "You mean…you're climbing on that thing…to break _into it?_"

"That's right!" Misato confirmed.

"But -!" Shinji gasped out, his disbelief mounting. "But that's plain crazy!"

"I know," Misato agreed, getting a sense of déjà vu at this, "but I'm afraid that there's just no other way to stop it."

"But - it's too dangerous!" Shinji protested.

Misato smiled as reassuringly as she could. "Don't worry! Unit 01's armor can handle both the explosion and the radiation."

"Not for me, Misato!" Shinji cried out fearfully, placing more emotion in those words than he tended to show in an entire week, perhaps more. "I meant for you!"

_I know that, Shinji-kun,_ Misato thought, heartened by his concern. Though it hadn't been all that long since she had brought Shinji into her home, the fact was that she couldn't imagine life without him now. His presence had filled a hole in her life, and she couldn't help but be touched by the concern he was showing for her. "Well, I have to get it my best shot, you know," she told him, doing her best to put on a brave face for her ward. "My conscience won't allow anything less."

At this, Shinji's expression hardened, filling with both concern and determination. This made Misato smile even more, thinking of just how far he had come in such a short time. And it made her wish that she had the courage to tell him the truth. That it wasn't just for Atsugi City that she was doing this. She was putting her life on the line because she _could._ Because this wasn't like a mission against the Angels, where all she could do was hand out the marching orders, then wait and watch and see who would have to pay the price for them. This time, it would be _her _mission, not one that she was forcing on someone else.

As thoughts and emotions that were always an arm's length away from her began to encroach upon her conscience mind, Misato's musing were interrupted by Makoto's voice. "Ma'am? I've sighted the target!"

"Right," Misato responded. Forcing her personal demons away once again, she returned her attention to the 3rd Child. "Let's do this, Shinji."

"Right," Shinji nodded. "Oh, and…Misato?" Frowning somewhat, the Captain watched as the boy forced a tiny, tender smile onto his face. "Please…come back safely."

Pausing, Misato felt a smile gracing her own lips as she bent down before her ward. "I will," she promised him. "Now let's get going. There's a whole lot of people depending on us."

Shinji gave a curt nod to this. "Right." Less than a minute later, he had taken his place within Unit 01's Entry Plug. As he prepared the notorious berserker for its confrontation, Misato climbed into the monstrous bio-mech's right hand.

"Shinji! I'm in position! Bring Unit 01 online!" Misato ordered, her hazmat suit's comlink allowing her to be heard from within both the Eva and the transport.

"Right!" A moment later, the purple titan tensed as it shifted its baleful gaze towards the fragile human woman. The Evangelion stirring somewhat, Misato felt more than saw it gently wrap its fingers about her. Its grip firm, but not painfully so. "You okay, Misato?"

"I'm fine!" Misato reported. "Just keep it like this until we reach the target! Got it?"

"Got it!" Shinji responded.

"Captain!" Makoto's voice sounded within Misato's helmet. "We're approaching the drop position!"

Her heart beating heavily in her chest, adrenaline flooding her entire body, Misato ordered, "Extend docking pylons! Prepare for drop!"

"Understood!" Makoto answered, and then there was a massive shudder felt throughout Unit 01. Massive hydraulics whirred into action, extending the Evangelion away from the transport plane. "All systems go to launch Eva Unit 01!"

"Right! Docking release!" Misato ordered, holding on as tight as she could to the Eva's fingers. This was it; no turning back.

"Roger!" Shinji replied, and with a pneumatic hiss, the docking clamps and umbilical linking the Eva to the plane were severed, leaving it in freefall. As Misato's stomach lurched unpleasantly, the purple berserker fell over the span of several seconds before finally landing. Upon hitting the ground, Unit 01 braced itself as it skidded backwards, and when it had come to a halt, it crouched forward before launching into a run.

Recovering from the harsh landing, the Captain immediately began tracking the situation. Makoto was already taking the transport to a higher altitude, distancing himself from the danger zone. As for Shinji, he was pushing Unit 01 at a good pace, already overtaking Jet Alone. The F-Type enhanced batteries giving him more freedom to pilot the Eva however he wished. And as for Misato, she was focusing on Jet Alone, looking for the access hatch that was located on its backpack unit. The section where the nuclear reactor was located…along with all its deadly radiation.

Mindful of the danger, and not really caring about it, Misato continued to sit and watch as Shinji announced, "We've caught up with it!"

Glancing at the time display in her helmet, Misato fiercely responded, "We've got less than four minutes! Grab that thing!" Without hesitation, Unit 01 closed the final stretch between the two giants, and grabbed onto what looked like a giant handle on its back. The Captain could hear him grunting in exertion as he struggled to restrain the renegade robot, until Jet Alone finally came to a halt, flailing its arms about mindlessly.

Grimacing as the ground beneath Unit 01 crunched mercilessly, realizing that Jet Alone wouldn't remain still for long, Misato shouted, "Shinji! Don't think! Just put me on!" Heeding her command, Unit 01 carefully lifted Misato up to Jet Alone's top and deposited her there with deceiving gentleness.

_There! _Misato thought as she came down on her hands and knees with a slight thunk. _So far, so -!_ Her thought was sent spiraling into oblivion when Jet Alone listed to the side, sending her tumbling across the smooth metal surface. Desperately trying and failing to find a handhold, the Captain gasped when she rolled and saw nothing but empty air beneath her.

"Misato!" she heard Shinji cry out. A cry that spurred into action even as she tumbled down Jet Alone's side, demanding that she take action. Her conscience mind overwhelmed, Misato caught sight of something protruding from the robot's side. Instinctively reaching for it, she grabbed hold of the ladder rung, her arm protesting at the sudden strain. Ignoring the pain, forcing her hand to maintain its precarious grasp, she swung by her arm into the robot's side, already reaching out for another rung that was coming into view.

Unfortunately, she didn't reach out fast enough. The shock of the fall and the force of gravity fouled Misato up enough so that she couldn't move her arm in time. And instead, she smashed into the rung face-first. Only it wasn't her face that paid the price for the blow.

The sound of cracking plastic filling her helmet, Misato looked about and gave a quick gasp of horror. For even as she recovered from the fall and the impact, a spider-web fracture was spreading out from the point of impact. _Oh, no!_ she cried out in her mind before cursing the idiots who made the shoddy, substandard plexiglass that had been used in her hazmat suit's construction. A suit that was now compromised, that would allow the radiation of the reactor to seep into the still-forming cracks, creeping into her flesh, corrupting, poisoning…

"Misato!" Shinji cried out, his voice cutting through the fearful haze that had shrouded the Captain's mind. Jolted into action, she looked up at Unit 01, and saw the boy at it's helm. At the boy that had risked so much so many times for the safety of the world. And a boy she knew that would be horrified if he knew what had happened. So much so that he could possibly grab her from her perch, and take her as far away from Jet Alone as he could before it exploded.

_No. I have to keep going. I have to finish this!_ Misato knew, thinking of the people imperiled by Jet Alone._ I knew the risks when I took command of this operation._ _If I don't do this, thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people could die! That's all that matters!_ Focusing on this, on a mission that needed to be completed at all costs, she took hold of the ladder rung with both hands, and planted her feet on another.

Upon seeing her ready and willing to continue, Shinji sighed his relief. "Be careful," was all he said, but it was enough for Misato to know that she had his support. Readying herself for lay ahead and hoping that the damage wasn't as bad as she feared, she smiled and rewarded the boy with a 'V' for victory. Making certain not to let him see the damage to her helmet as she quickly climbed back up the side.

Finally reaching the top of Jet Alone, Misato wasted no time, not willing to risk the rogue robot sending her tumbling once more. Coming to perch on top of the access hatch, she twisted the emergency handle and pulled it out. With a mechanical hiss, the hatch slid open, releasing a blast of radiated air that could be felt even through the protective suit. "Ahh! Talk about hot!" Misato recoiled, instinctively shielding her damaged faceplate even as she looked down the blood-red shaft. Into the belly of a beast as dangerous as any Angel. And then she steeled herself, reminded herself once more of what was at stake, and grimaced as she muttered, "I better hurry…while I still have time!"

* * *

As Shinji watched as Misato disappeared into Jet Alone's interior, he felt his insides clench with fear and anxiety. _This is so wrong,_ he found himself thinking. _She shouldn't have to do this!_

Clenching Unit 01's control yokes ever tighter, Shinji found his anxious mind conjuring up every worst-case scenario his imagination could conceive. While it was true that Misato's antics at home were more befit of a girl his junior than of NERV's Operations Director, while he sometimes embarrassed by some of the things she did and even a bit confused, nothing could change the fact that she had given him a home, had actually decided of her own will that she wanted him to be part of her life. And whatever her reasons, that was more than he had known in ten years. And he didn't want to lose that, or _her._

Another massive lurch shook Unit 01, shaking Shinji back to the moment. Momentarily startled, the 3rd Child quickly got his bearings and realized that Jet Alone was still flailing about, mindlessly trying to escape and bring death on whatever was luckless enough to be in its path. Growling in frustration, he released the massive handle on the robot's back and darted in front of it. "You bastard!" he cried out as Unit 01 braced itself, digging into the ground as he pushed back at the nuclear death machine. "Stop running already!"

Jet Alone didn't really fight back. It kept trying to run, but it didn't try to take a swing at Unit 01. Its AI wasn't advanced enough for that. But even so, Shinji knew that the situation was far from under control. Even with the F-Type equipment, it wouldn't be long before the Eva's power reserves were depleted. _I can't hold out forever!_ _Misato, you have to – huh?_

Before he could complete his thought, Shinji was startled by the sound of metal buckling under enormous pressure. Wondering if Unit 01 was exerting too much pressure, he then realized that something worse was happening when steam started spewing out from one of the seams in Jet Alone's armor.

Icy cold claws grasping at his heart, Shinji realized that Jet Alone's reactor was on the verge of meltdown. And Misato was still somewhere inside. "No…" he moaned lowly, his dread mounting with each passing second. "Hurry, Misato! _Please!_"

* * *

"I'm hurrying, Shinji-kun!" Misato returned as she made her way through Jet Alone's interior, following a map given her by the techs at the demonstration. "I'm almost to the control room now!"

Moving as quickly as she dared, she navigated the nuclear reactor, spurred on by more than the various jerks she felt running through Jet Alone as Unit tried to force it into submission. As she drew closer to her goal, she could feeling her skin, as well as a strange burning that was flowing through her. _I sure hope it's my imagination!_ Misato thought grimly, _but one way or another, I don't have much time!_

After what felt like forever, the Captain finally reached a door. Pausing to double-check her map, she allowed herself a measure of relief. "I found it," Misato said mostly to herself before she punched through the glass that covered the emergency release button, pressing it at the same time. The door instantly slid open, allowing her access to the control room. All around her, large cylindrical rods protruded from the walls; the nuclear control rods that regulated the reactor. But these weren't her goal; that was the computer terminal that sat on the floor before her. Darting up to it, Misato knelt down and went to work. Taking the security card given her by the Jet Alone techs, she slid it through the card reader, and was soon greeted by the sight of lines of computer code. A moment later, these were all replaced by a single word: PASSWORD.

_Here goes!_ Misato thought as she inputted the needed code. The word HOPE appeared on the screen, at which point Misato hit the Enter key.

ERROR!

Aghast at the sight of the negative message, Misato exclaimed, "What the hell is -?" Before she could complete her sentence, the room blurred before her and seemed to spin. Gravity seemed to shift onto its side as a wave of dizziness assailed her.

_Dammit! No! Not now!_ Misato snarled inwardly as an insidious weakness crept through her. _It must be the goddamned radiation! Why did this stupid helmet have to go and crack, anyway?_ Squeezing her eyes shut, she gave a fierce shake of her head before opening them again. Fortunately, the world stayed in place this time, allowing her to try once more. All she got for her trouble was another error message.

"Dammit!" Misato shrilled, her mind fogging over with rage. Barely able to keep her fury from overwhelming her, from taking out her frustrations on the worthless computer, she instead focused her mind on the situation. "This wasn't an accident! Jet Alone was _sabotaged!"_

Cursing herself for not seeing this malfunction for what it really was sooner, Misato was shaken from her fury when a violent jolt shook Jet Alone to the core. Very nearly thrown to the floor, she caught hold of the computer and remained upright. She didn't have to have a nuclear scientist to realize that the reactor was within a minute of redlining. There was no way she could return to Unit 01 and get to safety before the whole thing blew, and if her hunch was correct, there would be no point in that, anyway.

_Which means there's only one chance left! _ Misato decided, looking at the control rods lining the chamber. "Shinji! I'm going for the long shot!"

"Long shot? Misato, what are you talking about? You have to get out of there!" Shinji cried out despairingly. But his pleases fell on deaf ears as the purple-haired woman rushed over to one of the control rods and pressed her arms and hands against it. Pushing with all of her strength she had in her body, she fought to the rod back into the reactor itself. It barely budged.

_"Misato!"_ Shinji cried out again, his voice as clear through the comlink as if he was beside Misato herself. She ignored it, she ignored everything but the desperate need to succeed in this mission. Quite probably her last. Redoubling her efforts, she cudgeled her body for all the strength she could summon, and was able to force the control rod in a bit faster. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't moving fast enough.

_They're counting on me! The people…they're all depending on me!_ Misato thought bitterly as her mind began to fog up, Shinji's voice, the pain she was in, the fear, all of it fading away. The only thing she was aware of was her body surging with fire, with pain. Overwhelmed by everything, Misato's mind succumbed to the burning rage flooding through her. Shinji desperately crying out her name the last thing she heard as she fell into the darkness…

* * *

_"Misato!"_ Shinji cried out in sheerest desperation. Everything, the mission, the people of Atsugi City, everything forgotten in face of the fact that Jet Alone was seconds away from meltdown, and that Misato was still inside of it.

On one level, he knew it was too late. That there was nothing he or anyone could do to stop it. But this didn't change the fact that someone dear to him was going to die, and die horribly. All while he sat helpless to do anything but watch and wait for it to be over. And so, Shinji continued to struggle with Jet Alone, tears welling up in his eyes as he cursed himself for being so utterly weak and helpless.

Then something tore free of Unit 01's comlink. A sound so fierce and terrifying that the feedback screeches that echoed it was nothing in comparison. And it was so overwhelming that Shinji didn't even realize what it was at first; a woman's voice, mangled and twisted into a shriek of purest rage. A voice that he would never have recognized as belonging to Misato.

"Wha-?" Shinji gasped as he looked at Jet Alone. Breaking out in goosebumps and his hair standing on end, he listened as further snarls and growls of rage issued forth from the comlink. And was followed by the sound of metal slamming into metal. "Misato?" he tried again, his heart clenching with fear. His plea wasn't answered verbally; instead, another massive slam was heard over the comlink. And then another. And another.

When the fifth slam had finished echoing throughout Unit 01's Entry Plug, Jet Alone listed in the Eva's hands. Tensing, Shinji readied him for whatever the renegade robot was about to try. But even as he did so, he realized that something was different. Jet Alone wasn't moving as strongly as it had been before, and its visor was flickering somewhat. The startled boy pulled closer as the mammoth impacts continued to be heard, trying to make sense of what was happening. _What is this? Is the reactor melting down?_

Already preparing for the worst, Shinji continued to watch…only to be amazed when his question was unexpectedly answered. One of the massive control rods protruding from Jet Alone's back was collapsing, sliding back into the reactor. And it was soon followed by another.

Watching in awestruck silence as the robot slowly shut down, the controls rods all back in position, Shinji couldn't even think. Couldn't make sense of what was happening, because it was impossible. It just couldn't be happening, because in his mind, there were no such thing…as miracles.

"Misato…?" Shinji finally allowed himself to croak out. Gulping loudly, he leaned intently at the powerless robot, as if he were trying to see his guardian within. "A-are you alright? M-misato?"

He didn't get an answer right away. But then he heard someone taking a long, deep breath, before rumbling out, "Shinji…"

Never before had Shinji been so happy to hear someone say his name. All his previous fears and dreads falling away from him. _"Misato!"_ Shinji cried out, his face transformed by overwhelming joy and relief. "You're alive! Oh, thank god! I can't believe you did it!" Tears of happiness flowing to mix with the LCL, Shinji sniffled lightly. "Oh, god…It's a miracle! It's a -!"

"Shinji…" Misato spoke again, but this time, the sound of his name sent a chill running through him. Her voice was so weak, almost drugged and on the verge of collapse. "H…help…"

His emotions reversing, Shinji sucked in a horrified gasp. "Misato?" There was no answer this time. No words, no noises. Nothing but a faint thud…like that of a body collapsing to the floor. "Misato! _Misato!"_

There was no answer this time. There was no answer no matter how many times Shinji cried out her name. And with each successive cry, his terror grew, the image of Misato lying dead within the radioactive furnace that was Jet Alone filling his mind. And it was an image that twisted in his heart, and spread like a virulent cancer through him, leaving him weak with despair. "No…" he moaned, shaking his head slowly in denial. "No…you can't be…!" Choking on this dread possibility, something within the boy spurred to life. The part of him that had been training as a pilot since he had come to Tokyo-3 asserted itself, kicking him in the backside even as his conscious mind tried to escape the horror of the situation. Forcing his hand to reach out to the comlink, and switch over to a different channel. "Lieutenant Hyuga!"

"Shinji?" came the Lieutenant's voice. "Shinji, what is it? Did you stop Jet Alone?"

"Yes, but….!" Shinji began, a wad of bile forming in his throat. Forcing himself to swallow, the trained portion of his mind struggled to keep him speaking coherently. "Misato…she's still inside! I…I think she's hurt! She's…!"

Shinji's voice failed, leaving a deathly silence in its wake. "Understood! I'm coming around now!" Makoto reported, his voice tense with urgency. "I'm contacting the JSSDF now! They should be able to get anEMSteam and a hazmat crew out here in a couple minutes! Just hang in there, okay?"

"O-okay…" Shinji sputtered nervously as he processed the Lieutenant's words. The nagging voice of his own despair telling him that it was already too late. That something had gone horribly wrong in Jet Alone. That Misato was already dead. That he was alone, with no one to turn to or to give him a home. And it was all his fault.

_No…she _can't _be dead. She just _can't _be…!_ Shinji wept, his body quaking with grief. _Please…please, Misato…please don't be dead…!_

* * *

When Misato woke, it was with a start. Her eyes flew open, her every sense primed and at full alert. Her mind immediately processing the gentle breeze that caressed her skin, as well as the unfamiliar ceiling that was above her. After blinking once, twice, she then shot up to a sitting position. "What the -?" she got out, looking wildly about. "Where am I?"

"NERV Medical, Misato." Seizing upon this voice, the Captain turned about. Standing beside her bed was Ritsuko and Shinji, both of whom wore expressions of warm admiration. As Misato looked blankly at the two of them, the boy drew closer, gazing at her like he was afraid to look away. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order, Captain Katsuragi. You did it."

"Huh? Did what?" Her brows furrowed, she looked down at herself, at the medical gown she was adorned in, the hospital bed she was lying in. "Why am I…?" Before she could complete her question, the memories came flowing back, causing her eyes to go wide with shock. "Wait! You mean…Jet Alone…I stopped it?"

"You sure did, Misato!" Shinji enthused, smiling a smile that threatened to split his face in half. "You got all the control rods back in place!"

"I…I did?" Misato murmured disbelievingly. Massaging her temple, she wracked her brain, searching for anything to support this statement. "But…the last thing I remember is trying to shove the rods back in. I don't…remember actually..."

"I'm not surprised. Frankly, I'm amazed that you're still alive, considering how badly fractured your helmet was," Ritsuko noted. As this memory returned to Misato as well, the doctor smiled broadly. "Don't worry, Captain; we've already done a complete workup on you. There was no sign of radioactive contamination, either in the suit or in your body. You got a little singed, but it wasn't any worse than a mild sunburn." Giving a wry curl of her lip, she shrugged and decided, "I guess those things are built better than I thought."

At these reassurances, Misato sighed in relief. "So…I really did it…" she murmured, unable to believe it. Then something else occurred to her, and deepened her concerns. "H-how long was I out, anyway?"

"Less than a day. In fact, it is now the morning after the Jet Alone demonstration," Ritsuko informed her. Misato's mouth popped open at this revelation, leaving her to stare goggle-eyed at her friend. "Don't look so surprised. Even with the hazmat suit on, the temperatures inside Jet Alone were enough to cook a person alive. Coupled with overexertion and the stress of the situation, that whole mess just…wore you out."

Misato was about to protest this, but before she could say a word, she found herself considering the doctor's words, and eventually had to concede that Ritsuko had a point. After all, when Shinji came back from battling the Angels, he was always drained from the experience, and would often spend the rest of the day resting if he could. _Besides, this is the first time I've been in a situation like this,_ she reminded herself. _And considering what happened to Shinji after the fight with the 3rd Angel…_

Frowning somewhat, she then set this issue aside for later, and focused on a more pertinent matter. "So what about Jet Alone?" Misato wondered. "Has anything happened since I…?"

"Oh, yes, you could definitely say that," Ritsuko commented dryly. "Almost immediately after we got you out of there, the government announced all funding and support for the Jet Alone project would cut. Which is about the fastest I've ever seen the government do _anything _my entire life!" Chuckling somewhat at this, the doctor moved on. "Anyway, the robot itself has already been decommissioned, and has been scheduled to be dismantled. I'm not sure what's to happen after that. My guess is they're going to try and figure out what went wrong before they finally scrap it."

"I see," Misato nodded, exhaling sharply. "Well, so much for the competition then, huh? I bet the Commander is thrilled."

"About as thrilled as he gets," Ritsuko agreed.

Pressing her lips together, Misato studied her friend for a time before lowering her head. _I guess I should be happy,_ she thought somberly. _Jet Alone's been stopped, Atsugi's safe, and I'm still breathing. Which is a lot more than I expected. But…_ With that, the Operations Director of NERV looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. Aware that, while she had technically been triumphant, she hadn't actually won out this day. Jet Alone had been sabotaged, that much was certain. What was also certain was that there was absolute no way for her to prove it.

The only evidence that Jet Alone had been sabotaged was Jet Alone itself, and it had already been decommissioned, and was soon to be recycled. And in all likelihood, all traces of the sabotage had probably been erased from the robot's computer. True, there was bound to be an investigation, but she found herself doubting that it would uncover anything. Not if the investigators were of the same quality of government inspector that showed up at NERV every now and again.

_Besides, there's only one organization on the planet that could possibly benefit from the Jet Alone project being dropped, _Misato thought sourly. _And as the guy from the demonstration said, that organization is pretty much above the law…_

Even as she was losing herself in her dour thoughts, a gleeful voice penetrated her consciousness. "You're amazing, Misato!" Shinji spoke up, prompting Misato to look up and once again see that all-too rare smile on his face. "You're a real hero!"

_What? _Misato thought as she looked at the boy before her. _You're calling me…a hero?_ She was tempted to laugh at this, simply because she felt she was about as far from being a hero as was possible. _And what about you, Shinji? You've helped save the entire world three times already! What does that make you?_ But even as she considered saying something to this effect, she continued to look at her ward, and sighed as his smile slowly broke down her bleak mood. Chuckling despite herself, she reached out and glomped Shinji, subjecting him to the biggest bear hug he'd ever had. "Well…I guess I am, at that," she finally admitted before pulling back a bit. "So what say we go out and have a hero's feast, eh, Shinji-kun?" Even Shinji was nodding to this, the purple-haired woman eyed Ritsuko. "That is, if I'm free to go...?"

"I don't see why not. Aside from your indulgences in beer and not enough vegetables, the MAGI say you're perfectly fine," Ritsuko smiled. Then she slipped back into her genius lecturer mode and added, "Just do me a favor and take it easy for a few days. Also, I should warn you that Commander Ikari is going to want a full debriefing later."

"Really?" Not especially surprised by this, Misato flashed an impish grin. "In that case, I better get out of here before he finds out I'm awake! Because the last thing I need right now is to spend the rest of the day in the Commander's office!" Chuckling at her own wit, and delighting in that Ritsuko couldn't help quirking a grin at this, the Captain leapt up from her bed with a spring in her step. "Come on, Shinji-kun!" she smirked, taking the boy's hand in her own. "Let's get my clothes and blow this place! As far as I'm concerned, we already spend too much time here!"

"I'll say," Shinji agreed in a somewhat muted fashion. "Um…Misato?" A questioning noise sounding in her throat, she looked down at the boy at her side, and found that his smile had faded. And it's place was a look of genuine concern. "Uh…please…be more careful, okay?" he asked her nervously, though it was clear that his concern stemmed from something much deeper than his usual timidity with people. "I…when you went in there, I…I didn't think that you'd be coming out again. And…"

As was so often with Shinji, his ability to speak failed him when he most needed it. But he had said enough, even if not with words. And once again, Misato found herself heartened. For while she knew Shinji didn't approve of some of the things she did, something she honestly couldn't blame him for, the fact that he still cared so much for her meant a great deal. More than she could express with her own words.

Bending down to look him in the eyes, Misato smiled gently before again wrapping her arms about him. "Don't worry, Shinji-kun," she told him, doing her best to make her next statement an honest one. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I promise."

* * *

Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at an Eva crossover of any kind. Please, read and review! And look up my other stories as well, if you want!

I started this project because I noticed a lot of fanfics with Shinji getting awesome superpowers, but I've never seen any where the same happened with the ladies of Eva. So, I decided that it was only fair that the girls get their share of the limelight. So, if you have any suggestions for future stories, please let me know.

I'm guessing it must be pretty obvious what lies in Misato's future, but I hope you will find it enjoyable! So until then, it's omake time!

Omake

When Misato woke, it was with a start. Her eyes flew open, her every sense primed and at full alert. Her mind immediately processing the gentle breeze that caressed her skin, as well as the unfamiliar ceiling that was above her. After blinking once, twice, she then shot up to a sitting position. "What the -?" she got out, looking wildly about. "Where am I?"

"Oh, shit! She's already awake!" came a familiar voice. One Misato didn't recognize right away. "Rits, I thought you said she wouldn't wake up for at least another hour!"

"Huh?" Misato started even as she focused on the voice, and frozen in shock. Standing right next to the bed she was on were Ritsuko and Kaji. And of even more importance, she saw the camera equipment the two of them had set up around her. "Augh! What the hell are you -?"

"Now, Misato, relax!" Ritsuko spoke, holding her hands up defensively. "Really, it's not what it looks like…!"

"Not what it -?" Misato started, only to cut herself off as she got a _very _bad feeling. Looking down at herself, the purple-haired woman gasped in horror as this feeling was confirmed. _"Acck! What the hell am I wearing?"_

"Ugh…" Kaji groaned. Unable to think of any innocent fashion to explain away the fact that Misato was presently garbed in red lingerie, complete with fishnet stockings and a heart-shaped lock dangling from her panties. "Okay, I admit it. It _is _what it looks like."

_"Arrggh! What the hell do you two think you're doing?"_ Misato shrilled, caught between staring at her garments and strangling her friends and co-workers. _"Were you actually taking _pictures _of me just now? In _this _thing?"_

"Look, I'm sorry, Misato, but I really didn't have much choice! You _know _how bad NERV's budget is! We're at our limits as it is!" Ritsuko told her even as veins popped out of the purple-haired woman's head. "Until the Commander can arrange for additional funding for our operations, he's ordered us to do whatever we can to bring in additional funding!"

"Including getting girly pictures of me? Without my permission?" Misato demanded, becoming more and more outraged. "And I bet that I'm not even getting paid for them, either!"

"Uh, no. 'Fraid not," Kaji admitted, taking a careful step back.

"Misato, I really am sorry about this. Really I am," Ritsuko consoled her. "But if it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one going through this."

"Look, first of all, that does _not _make me feel better! In fact, I'm even more pissed off now than before!" Misato snarled. "And secondly, who else have you put through this, huh? _Tell me!"_

"Um…most of the female staff, actually," Ritsuko confessed nervously. "Gendo's also got the nurses here doing pinup shots." Then she frowned somewhat and added, "And don't even get me started on some of the things that he's had Maya and I doing…"

"Eh, I didn't think those shoots were that bad, Rits," Kaji chimed in. "And Maya certainly seemed to enjoy them."

While Ritsuko groaned her disgust at Kaji, Misato growled and clenched her fist. "That does it! Gendo better watch out, because as soon as I get my powers, I'm gonna kick him straight to the moon! _Literally!"_


	2. Night Terrors

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 2: Night Terrors

Red. Every direction Misato looked, she saw red. When she looked down at her feet, she saw water that was the color of blood. When she looked up at the sky, she saw a darkness that was lined with crimson. A sky of death overlooking the ocean of death that had once been known as Antarctica. The ocean that had been created when she had seen the light of the end of the world.

Garbed in her usual dress and flight jacket, Misato strode unthinkingly across the blood-red water, ripples forming at her footsteps. Never once wondering how it was that she could be walking atop the ocean, or why she didn't feel the chill of the arctic air. She simply continued to walk forward, taking in the hellish landscape around her. Looking at the icebergs that lingered from the time when this had been a land of ice…and more. For despite the fact that nothing familiar remained of this place, memories of the past still swirled around her. With every step Misato took, she saw images from her past, the time she had spent with the Katsuragi Expedition.

_Hey, there, Misa-chan!_ grinned a tech, his image swirling about on the surface of one of the icebergs. _Me and some of the others are getting together for a round of cards later tonight! Care to join us?_

_Good morning, Misato,_ a scientist nodded politely, her and her lab seen within another island of ice. _How are you doing today? Have you heard from your mother lately?_

_Well, if it isn't Dr. Katsuragi's little girl!_ a seaman's specter declared from another window into the past. _Enjoying yourself in this winter wonderland?_

_Alright, Misato. It's time for your lessons,_ beamed another scientist, one of her father's close friends, one of the few people he allowed close to him. Someone that had volunteered to make sure that she kept up with her schoolwork, even in the middle of nowhere. Someone willing to keep her busy and content when her father couldn't be bothered to break away from his work for the whole of five minutes.

All of these people and more were there, trapped in the ice, along with all the other memories she had. She could see them all, reflected in the ice; scientists, technicians, seamen, and more, all of them tasked with analyzing the entity that had eventually been designated as the 1st Angel. All of them ordinary people going about their chosen careers, their daily routines. All of them ghosts, forever trapped in the Arctic when Second Impact claimed the lives of every member of the Katsuragi Expedition.

As Misato continued to wander through the sea of broken ice and lost souls, she heard something. A sound that was soft, yet strong in the way that it seized her mind, forcing her to look about. And that's when she saw it; a faint light twinkling off in the distance. She looked at the object for a time, standing completely still, but then she heard the sound again. And once again, she was prompted to heed it, at which she turned and started towards the flickering object.

Even though she was still aware of the icebergs and the memories reflected in them, Misato could no longer clearly see them. They no longer mattered. All that really mattered was the object she was approaching, as well as the sound that enticed her. A sound that slowly transformed into a low, dangerous whispering, and though the voice was too soft for Misato to make out the words, there was no mistaking the anger, the rage with which they were spoken. Things that grew more intense with each step she took towards the object on the horizon.

It wasn't long before Misato finally got close enough to be able to identify the object. It was a long, cylindrical capsule, floating completely adrift. It was rocking back and forth as it floated in the sea of death, as if something were thrashing about desperately to escape. The top of it was sealed shut, concealing whatever was trapped within the metallic prison.

Even if she hadn't recognized the capsule, Misato would have been unnerved by the violence with which it shuddered, the echoes of something slamming into metal that reverberated from within. As it was, the very sight of the capsule caused her heart to pound within her chest. For fifteen years ago, it had been her that had been inside the survival capsule. The metallic coffin that her father had placed her in that had saved her from death in the midst of hell being unleashed on Earth.

In spite of everything, including the creeping dread that was spreading throughout her entire being, Misato kept moving closer. And as she slowly approached the survival capsule, the deadly whispering she had heard before was drowned out by the increasingly thunderous crashing and banging going on within it. The metal cylinder bobbed and jostled in the water, practically plunging beneath the surface several times, but despite the crazed thrashings off the capsule's occupant, it showed no signs of yielding to it. There were no dents or bulges in the metal, the glass portal at the top was intact. Nothing to indicate that whatever creature was in there would eventually escape.

Misato was grateful for this. She had no idea what manner of beast lay within the capsule, but she did know that it was something horrible. Something dangerous. Something that _belonged _in a cage.

Finally, as she came up next to the capsule, so close that she could reach out and touch it, the sealed prison fell silent. The incessant beating inside of it ceased, as did the foul. It continued to heave and throe this way and that for a while longer, but eventually, the capsule settled into a gentle bobbing. Allowing Misato to come even closer…and look down into the small porthole in the capsule's top.

Nothing. There was nothing to be seen inside the capsule. Not even the gentle cushions she had once rested in as a child. Nothing but absolute darkness.

Misato heaved a deep sigh of relief. She didn't want to see what lay within. Anything as monstrous as what the capsule held should never be seen. Not by anyone.

She wanted to destroy the capsule. Push it away. Send it someplace else, somewhere she wouldn't have to deal with it and its onerous burden. But before this impulse could develop enough for Misato to act on it, the glass in the capsule door exploded with blinding light, forcing her to shield her eyes as she stepped away from it.

_No…_ Misato thought even as the light subsided. Allowing her to lower her arms and look once again. _It can't be…no…not that…! _Her own thoughts falling silent, she gazed down into the porthole again, and instead of darkness, looked into a hideous, pulsating green light. A light so powerful and dangerous that it seemed too big for something as tiny as the capsule to contain it.

As Misato stared down in horror at the cruel light, it seemed to shift somewhat. As if it were somehow looking at her. And then the cruel whispering that had lured her there was heard again. And this time, Misato could understand what it was saying.

_"Let me out…"_ the soft, menacing voice intoned. _"Let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out…"_

* * *

_"Noooooo!"_ Misato shrieked as she flung herself upright. Sucking in breath after ragged breath as she looked wildly about, searching for any sign of the monster in the capsule. Terribly afraid that it had somehow escaped its prison, and was now lurking in her room, hiding amongst the clutter.

Swallowing loudly to clear the lump of bile that had formed in her throat and placing her hand over her pounding heart, Misato was jolted by a sharp noise. Gasping, certain that the monster she feared was coming for her, she looked and watched as the door to her room slid open. And silhouetted in the center of the door was a figure. It wasn't the figure of a monster, however, or a demon or a boogeyman. It was a girl in her mid-teens who growled, "Good _Gott,_ Misato! Not _again! _That's the third time this _month!_"

"Asuka?" Misato asked, narrowing her eyes to better make out the details of her visitor. Sure enough, it was the bombastic 2nd Child of NERV, who had come to live with her and Shinji a couple months before. Her blue eyes were narrowed into menacing slits, she had her hands to her hips, and tufts of her red hair were curled up into perfect devil horns.

Slowly realizing what had happened, Misato moaned lowly before bringing her hand to her forehead. _Aw, damn. Not again…_ she thought even as another figure was seen at her door.

"Misato?" Shinji spoke worriedly, looking rapidly between his female housemates. "Wh-what happened? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, she's alright, Third!" Asuka grumbled sourly. Despite the poor light in her room, Misato could practically see the German rolling her eyes in disbelief. "It was just another nightmare, that's all!"

His mouth popping open, Shinji turned and took a step into his guardian's room. "A nightmare?" he murmured gingerly, pausing to avoid stepping into a pile of dirty clothes. "Misato…was it…?"

"Yeah. _That _one," Misato grumbled as she kicked aside her blanket, already getting to her feet. "Ugh…this sucks…"

"Tell me about it. If I wanted to listen to somebody scream their head off, I'd watch a horror movie." Having scored a dig on Misato, Asuka snorted before adding, "Anyway, the baka's already got breakfast ready. So you better get to the table before it gets cold."

Somehow managing a wan smile at the German's grumpiness, Misato watched as she turned and left, unable to blame her for being so annoyed. As Asuka had said herself, this had been far from the first time they had been subjected to their guardian screaming in horror as she woke up. Though at least this time both children had obviously been awake and active before Misato had been jarred from her sleep. And all because of a terror that lived in her mind, and refused to go away.

But even as Asuka disappeared, the soft-spoken 3rd Child drew closer, wearing a look of genuine concern. "Are you _sure_ you're alright, Misato?" he asked as she stood straighter, brushing an errant strand of hair out of her face. "I mean…you're kinda pale, and…"

"I know, Shinji, I know," Misato responded, doing her best to reassure her concerned ward. "Don't worry; I'll be alright."

"But…" Shinji started, his features tense with anxiety. "You…you've been having this nightmare for a while now, and…it's been happening a lot lately. So…"

Exhaling sharply, Misato cocked her head to the side and looked at the boy for whom she was supposed to be the guardian of. "It'll be okay, Shinji-kun," she muttered, genuinely touched by his concern. "I've had some pretty nasty dreams before. And trust me; sooner or later, they all go away." Then she gave a wry quirk of her mouth, and added, "Though I have to admit, I wish it would happen sooner rather than later!"

Watching as this jovial remark did its job and forced Shinji's lips to curl upward, even if it was just a bit, Misato sighed and wished that she could feel as carefree as she tried to present herself. For the truth of the matter was that, ever since she had seen the horror of Adam's power and Second Impact firsthand, she had had more than her share of nightmares. Terrors that gave her no peace and were only dulled by the sensation of a cold beer pouring down her throat. But never before had she had to contend with a nightmare this persistent, that came again and again, repeating itself in exact detail.

When it had first come for her, a few days after the Jet Alone incident, Misato had been scared by it. And more importantly, she had scared Shinji out of his wits when she had awoken screaming in fright. But she had been able to reassure him with relatively minimal effort, and after a beer, had managed to get back to sleep herself. Certain that it had been just another bad dream in a life filled with them.

But even as time passed, with the Jet Alone incident fading from memory and Asuka coming to live with them, and a couple more Angels showing up as well, the nightmare had not been exorcised. Instead, it came time and again, lurking like a wolf in the darkness, waiting to pounce and make Misato tremble with fear. Every bit as intense as the first night, and with the time between its nightly assaults slowly shrinking.

_But why, dammit? Why do I keep having _this_ nightmare?_ Misato demanded of herself, her mood not helped when she failed to answer this question. _And what the hell does it mean, anyway? What's so special about this dream?_

As much as Misato wished otherwise, she didn't have the answer to this question. So she did the only thing that she could do; shove the nightmare and everything related to it off to the side and focus on something else. "So, Shinji-kun," she began, putting her hand on his head and running her fingers through his hair, "what's for breakfast?"

"Hmm?" Shinji got out, blinking a few times as he tried to contend with the sudden change in subject. After a few moments, his eyes bulged as comprehension lit them up. "Oh, right! Breakfast!" As Misato hoped, her young ward's expression of gloom faded as he shrugged and answered, "Well…I decided to make some pancakes with strawberries. You know how Asuka feels about Japanese food, and…"

"Yeah, I know. Boy, do I!" Misato chuckled despite herself. "That's okay, Shinji. Just so long as you have some hot coffee to go with it!" Shinji gave a brisk, cheerful nod to this, something that warmed her heart. "Well, then, we better get to it! We've both got places to go, things to do! Right?"

"Uh, right," Shinji replied as the two of them made their way to the dining room. Misato doing her best to keep the fearful night visions in the back of her mind where they belonged.

* * *

It wasn't long before breakfast was done and the residents of the Katsuragi apartment started out on their respective days. Sparing just enough time to see Shinji and Asuka off when they departed for school and to make sure that Section 2 was keeping an eye on them the way they were supposed to, Misato got dressed and drove to NERV. And before long, was trapped in her office, struggling with the drudgery that was the majority of her job there.

It had only been a couple days since the 9th Angel had appeared to wreak havoc on Tokyo-3, and as was typical of such an attack, there was a great deal of paperwork to deal with in the aftermath. Requisitions for weapons and ammunition, reports to the JSSDF, forms submitted to her office by the various department heads. And added to this was the fact that a massive blackout had taken place at the exact same time as the Angel's march on the city, which all resulted in a massive pile of bureaucratic bullshit that was overflowing Misato's desk. A pile that she had already spent at least one full day slogging through, and had the terrible feeling that it would be several more days before she was finally free of it.

_Ugh…it's times like this I wonder I ever got this so-called job in the first place…!_ Misato thought hatefully as she slogged her through the load of garbage that was constantly being sent her way. For a moment, she considered checking to see how much longer she had until lunch time, but then decided against it. She knew that there was a good chance that she hadn't been working nearly as long as she felt like she had, and if she made the mistake of confirming this as reality, then she would explode, pure and simple. _Oh, well. At least it isn't as bad as what happened after the first battle with the 7th Angel…_

Shuddering at the thought of the paperwork that had flooded her office after that debacle, she started when the door buzzer sounded for her attention. "Come in!" Misato smiled as she looked up at her door, eager in the face of some distraction from the monotony and frustration. A smile that was soon erased when the door slid open. "Aw, crap…!"

"Hey, Katsuragi," Ryoji Kaji as he ambled into her office. "Whew! Looks like somebody has her hands full!" Shaking his head playfully, NERV's representative to the UN made his way up to Misato's desk, acting as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I guess I don't have to ask how your day's been going."

"That's right. You don't," Misato told him in a sickly-sweet voice. "And it just keeps going from bad to worse."

Chuckling as Misato's thinly veiled insult rolled off of him like water off a duck's back, Kaji sat down on her desk. "Oh, I don't think it's that bad," he told her, still smiling like an idiot. "In fact, I'd be willing to bet that things are going to start getting better any second now."

"Really?" Misato asked, staring daggers at the man with whom she had once called her college boyfriend. "Don't tell me. You're being shipped back to the UN."

This wiped the smile from Kaji's face, but to Misato's dismay, it was replaced by a look of wounded pout, which she found even more noxious. "Aw, that hurts. You mean you're _still _mad about -?"

"Of _course_ I'm still mad about it! Why shouldn't I be mad?" Misato demanded incredulously, thinking back to the last time she had been in close proximity to Kaji, the horror of that day forever etched in her mind. How they had been trapped inside an elevator when the city's power failed, with the temperature slowly rising because environmental control was deactivated. "Ever since Ritsuko and Maya caught us half-naked in that damn elevator, I've had to put up with enough jokes about the two of us to last me _two _lifetimes!"

As usual, Kaji responded to her outrage with a boyish smile, as well as his typical refusal to take anything seriously. "Well, I thought it was kinda fun, myself." When Misato glared even more poison at him, he smiled that much more deeply. "Any time I get a peek at that lovely body of yours is a good time for me."

Growling deep in her throat and wishing she could legally justify drawing her gun, Misato decided not to waste any further time trying to shame the shameless pervert. "So, do you have any reason for being here? Other than to annoy me, that is? Because I _really_ don't have the time for this!"

"Hmm…as a matter, I do," Kaji replied, smirking in the manner of someone who knew a juicy secret and was delighting in the suspense that built up prior to telling it. "Commander Ikari asked me to bring you down to his office. Seems there's something that he wanted to talk to you about."

"The Commander?" Misato repeated, her annoyance fading for a moment. "What does he want to talk about?"

"I can't say," Kaji answered, still smiling his amusement. "All I know is that he wanted me to bring you by his office. And as soon as possible."

"Then why didn't you tell me that sooner?" Misato growled as she got to her feet. Spending a moment to straighten out her hair and flight jacket, she glowered at her former boyfriend before starting towards the door. Only for her mood to worsen when she saw him moving to join her. "Kaji, what are you doing?"

"Well, I figured I'd provide you with an escort," Kaji answered. "After all, we don't want to keep the Commander waiting, now do we?"

Misato gave a loud snort to this. "Thank you so much, Kaji, but I'm a big girl now. I think I can get there on my own."

"Oh, I totally agree with you. But Rits…she seems to have her doubts about that." Raising an eyebrow at this, Misato watched as Kaji responded with a what-can-you-do shrug. "By the way, is it true that you got lost bringing Shinji to the Eva Cages on his first day here?"

Misato's first reaction to this was to burn with humiliation over the fact that the unshaven man had once again scored a direct hit on her. Her second was glower at him for a moment and tell him, "Aw, just leave me alone!" Her third was to avert averting her eyes and sticking her nose into the air. And her fourth was to silently vow to get back at Ritsuko for telling something so embarrassing to _Kaji, _of all people!

Upon exiting her office, Misato and Kaji began making their way through the labyrinthine network of halls, corridors, escalators, and automated walkways that was NERV. Time in which she did her utmost to ignore her unwanted companion, and distracted herself by pondering how exactly to get her revenge on Ritsuko. _Let's see…what would be a suitable punishment? Spiking her coffee is way too nice, and it would probably improve the flavor, anyway…and she probably won't fall for my ultra-spicy 'curry surprise' again. _Pausing to chuckle evilly at the results of one of her culinary experiments from college, the Captain smiled at another incident from the past. _Too bad I can't sneak a football team down here. I'd _love _to give her what I gave Kaji that one time…!_

As she recalled the results of what had taken days of planning and setting up, Misato couldn't help but grin. A grin that was slowly cut short as she felt something twisting inside of her. And before she knew it, the halls of NERV disappeared from around her, and were replaced by an ocean of death. Where there was no one and nothing but memories of the past…and the capsule that lay before her, horror still glowing from within it…

* * *

"Misato?" Frowning somewhat, Kaji looked hard at the purple-haired woman, who was standing frozen next to him. "Hey, Katsuragi, are you alright?"

For a moment, Kaji was certain if she had even heard him. But after a moment or so, Misato blinked and her rigid body softened. "Huh?" she started as she turned to look at him. "Oh, uh…what was that?"

Kaji frowned at this, something which was an unfamiliar sensation to him. While years had passed between the time he, Misato, and Ritsuko had been a trio in college and their being reunited when he came to Japan, he still knew his former lover. Knew her mannerisms, her expressions, and most of all, he knew the nightmares that she kept bottled up inside of her. Things that she couldn't bear to speak of, that churned about painfully in her eyes. And he could see that something was bothering now. Knew it since he had met her once again on the _Over the Rainbow._ "I was asking you if you were alright."

She reacted to this question just the way he expected her to. "Wha - of _course _I'm alright!" Misato spat out bitterly, looking at him as if he were a snake about to bite her. "Why shouldn't I be? Aside from having to deal with _you_, that is!"

_In other words, something's bothering you, and you just don't want to talk about it. At least, not right now,_ Kaji mentally translated, giving a tired shake of his head. "Hey, I was just worried about you, that's all!" he spoke aloud, invoking the irreverent attitude that was second nature to him. "You don't have to get so mad about it? Or is there some regulation that says I can't be concerned for my female colleagues?"

Misato looked ready to say something to this, but even as she opened her mouth, her anger dried up. In its wake was an uncertainty that Kaji had seen very rarely in her in the past, and only when she was drunk or tired or too emotionally wearied to keep it bottled up any longer. "Right. Whatever," she muttered, pressing her lips together as she turned and started forward again.

_Okay, this is a bad sign,_ Kaji realized. Normally, Misato would have been much more expressive in her displeasure. The fact that she was walking away just like that could mean that whatever had caused her to freeze up like that, she wanted to ignore it. To shove it aside and pretend it didn't exist. And whenever she did that, he knew that whatever prompted such a response had to be bad. And he knew that it was something that she probably wouldn't want to discuss with anyone, let alone someone like him.

_I better talk to Ritsuko after this is over,_ Kaji decided as he started after Misato, following at a discreet distance. _And hope that Misato is a bit more willing to talk to her than she is to me._ With this in, he and his former lover continued through the corridors of NERV, and eventually arrived at the imposing doors of Gendo's office.

"Greetings, Captain Katsuragi, Mr. Kaji," Gendo's secretary greeted them, giving them a wan smile upon their approach. "The Commander is expecting you."

"Yeah, so I heard," Misato commented grimly. A hint of fear peeking out even as she tried to maintain an all-business exterior. Something that was more of a struggle than it should have been as the secretary buzzed them in, causing the doors to open in what was probably as ominous a fashion as was possible.

Deciding that he wouldn't be the least bit surprise if Gendo had intentionally arranged for his doorway to unnerve his visitors, Kaji followed Misato into an office that was similarly disturbing. Equations he recognized as having to deal with the Angels and Evas marked the walls, floor, and ceiling, with the only real sources of illumination being the windows at the back of the office, and the lights directly over Gendo's desk. Giving a person's imagination plenty of material to conjure up bogeymen hiding in every shadow.

Not allowing herself to be distracted by the foreboding surroundings, Misato went straight up to the desk. As was usual, Gendo was seated there with his hands steepled before him, and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki standing at his side. "Captain Katsuragi reporting, Commander," she began, almost rigid with decorum. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Captain," Gendo spoke with preamble or warmth. "You see, I have a matter of some urgency to discuss." The Commander didn't even bother looking towards Kaji, didn't order him to leave. Instead, he kept gazing at Misato, as if searching for any signs of weakness. "As I'm sure you are aware, in the wake of the engagement with the 9th Angel, Section 2 has been performing a full investigation on the city's power grid, in an attempt to discover what caused the blackout that occurred then."

"Yes, sir," Misato returned, her voice crisp and official. Even more so than usual. "And…have they found anything yet, sir?"

"Only that our original assumptions would appear to have been correct," Gendo told them, never once breaking from what was commonly referred to as 'The Gendo Pose'. "It is impossible that our primary power systems and all their backups to have failed simultaneously. Therefore, our only conclusion is that someone shut down our power intentionally."

_Yeah, I know,_ Kaji concurred, wishing that he could smile a bit of personal triumph at that point.

"Then…it _was _sabotage," Misato gathered, not asking a question.

"That is correct," Fuyutsuki confirmed, the older man's features grim. "We've yet to determine exactly who was responsible, but the fact remains that someone managed to completely disable our defense systems, as well as the launch and support equipment for the Evangelions."

"Which means there's always a chance that whoever did it might take it into their heads to try again," Kaji inferred, giving a wry shake of his head. "Hoo, boy. The Instrumentality Committee is _not _gonna be happy about this!"

"Indeed, they aren't," Gendo informed them, letting the fact that the people who held NERV's purse strings knew everything about that disaster sink in before proceeding. "Which is why the Sub Commander and I have decided to implement certain measures, to both counteract any future attempts of sabotage, as well as minimize any damage inflicted by our unknown aggressors. Which is why I had you brought here."

"Sir?" Misato frowned uncertainly. "What do you mean?"

"There's no arguing against the fact that we were fortunate last time. Almost all of our command staff was in place and fully accessible during the blackout," Gendo told them, his eyes narrowing every so much as he studied both Misato and Kaji. Something that caused a barely audible hiss to escape her lips, and though Kaji couldn't see it, he was certain that she was darting a deadly glance in his direction. "And we were even more fortunate that the Angel that attacked us was easily dispatched. But we cannot count on being so fortunate in the future." His features tightening that much more, the Commander glared deeply into his Operation Director's eyes. "And in the event of a similar incident, we need to be able to maintain a strong chain of command. We need someone we can depend on to be able to take control of the situation, should myself or Fuyutsuki be…unavailable."

"Since you began working here at NERV, your performance of your duties has been admirable. To date, you have handled every situation excellently, and more to the point, you have proven to be a capable field commander." Then Fuyutsuki gave a slight smile and added, "And given the nature of the troops whom you are commanding in battle, that says a great deal about your ability."

"Thank you, sir," Misato responded, not allowing her voice to waver in the slightest.

"Given this, we have decided that we can place NERV in your hands, should the need arise." Without warning, Gendo rose up from his seat. Clearly surprised by this sudden motion, Misato took a step back and watched as the Commander and Fuyutsuki rounded the desk, coming to stand before her. "Therefore, I hereby promote you to the rank of Major, and grant you all the rights and responsibilities that rank merits."

Kaji was then treated to the rare sight of Misato being dumbstruck with shock. Her professional exterior failed somewhat, allowing her eyes and mouth to pop open, especially when Fuyutsuki held up his hand, and revealed a small case. While Kaji was pausing to wonder at what point the case had materialized, the Sub Commander popped it open, revealing a new rank insignia inside of it, one with two stripes beneath a red triangle. "Congratulations, Major Katsuragi."

"Oh…! I, uh…thank you, sirs…!" Misato fumbled out before snapping off a quick, clumsy salute. Then she carefully took the case from the older man's hand, handling it as if it were made of fragile crystal.

"No need to thank us, Major. You have earned this honor," Fuyutsuki stated with a hint of genuine warmth even as Misato removed her Captain's badge and put her new rank insignia in its place.

"And of greater importance, this insures our protection as well," Gendo explained. "As Major, you will now have full command of any JSSDF assets in times of emergency, without needing your orders sanctioned by anyone else." Then his glasses took on a dangerous glint as he added, "This is a great responsibility we are trusting you with. I expect that you won't let us down."

For a moment, Kaji was tempted to make a crack about running out of beer didn't qualify as an emergency, but he quickly decided against it. It wasn't often that Misato got the credit she deserved for her labors, and she deserved this moment in the sun. So instead he said, "Hey, wait to go, Katsuragi!" Coming up to her side and clapping her on the shoulder, he waited until she met his gaze before adding, "I always figured that you were 'major' material!"

"Oh, you…!" Misato grumbled, sounding much more like herself in that instant, something that warmed Kaji's heart. She probably would have used some stronger language if they hadn't been in Gendo's office, so instead she turned back towards the Commander and asked, "So…will that be all, sir?"

"Of course. You are dismissed. And again," Gendo paused, offering his right hand to Misato, "congratulations."

_Commander Ikari? Offering to shake hands with someone? _That's _a first!_ Kaji thought, mentally laughing at the very idea. Only to stop laughing when he realized that Misato hadn't accepted outstretched hand in her own. That she was frozen once more, but in a different manner than she had before; instead of being lost in some private world, she was tensed like an animal seeking to avoid being seen by a predator. And instead of looking out into empty air, she was staring at the Commander's hand like it was a cobra with its hood spread and its fangs bared.

Kaji wasn't the only one to have noticed this. Fuyutsuki's congratulatory smile had faded, and Gendo was looking at his new Major the way he would eye an Angel. "Is something wrong, Major?" he asked, his voice taking a dangerous edge.

Whatever it was that had taken hold of Misato, it was no match for the thinly veiled menace that was Gendo Ikari's voice of authority and doom. In less than a second, she shook off her paralysis and met the Commander's eyes once more. "Uh, no, sir! Nothing!" she told him, clearly fighting to raise her right hand. "I…thank you!" After forcing these words out of her lips, she jolted her right hand forward, and took Gendo's proffered hand in her own.

It was then that Kaji got the latest surprise of the day, and it was by far the least pleasant. The instant Misato grasped the gloved hand, she completely seized up. Every part of her body shook and quaked like she had just grabbed hold of a live power line. Her mouth flew open as if to scream, but her throat had constricted, so nothing but a strangled groan escaped her lips before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell back on the floor.

"Katsuragi!" Kaji cried out, stunned beyond belief as he fell down on his knees next to her. Acting on instinct honed by training, he took hold of her wrist and felt at it.

"Is she alright?" Fuyutsuki wondered as Gendo looked on, his narrowed eyes missing nothing.

"She still has a pulse," Kaji confirmed, frowning as he felt the beating of her heart. "It feels a bit weak, but it's there."

"Contact NERV Medical, and have a team sent here immediately," Gendo ordered tersely as he stood nearby, glancing from his right hand to the prone woman before him. "And alert Dr. Akagi. I want her to conduct a full evaluation of Katsuragi's condition."

"Yes, Ikari," Fuyutsuki muttered in response before he pulled out his cell phone. While the Sub Commander was implementing Gendo's orders, Kaji looked down at the woman before him, gingerly holding his wrist, trying to convey some comfort to her. Baffled by what had caused these events, and fearful of the jeopardy that may have put Misato in.

"Commander," Kaji began unhappily, "if it's all the same with you, I'd like to accompany her to NERV Medical."

"Very well, Ryoji," Gendo muttered dangerously. Still glaring down at Misato, like he was considering a bug that may or may not be worth crushing underfoot.

* * *

"Ugh…you know, I'm starting to understand how Shinji feels about this place," Misato grumbled as she sat in one of the small examination rooms in NERV Medical. A cup of lukewarm coffee that tasted like it had been made with radiator fluid in her hands, and Ritsuko and Kaji sitting nearby, both looking at her with concern. "This makes the second time I've woken up in here, and I'm already hating it!"

"Well, look at the bright side, Katsuragi," Kaji commented wryly, sitting so that his arms were wresting on the chair's back. "At least you woke up."

While Misato was snorting her opinion of that particular silver lining, Ritsuko nodded and added, "Kaji's gallows humor aside, I will admit that you sure gave us a scare." Wincing as she took a sip of her own wretched coffee substitute, the doctor shook her head as she studied her friend. "When I heard about what happened..."

"Hmph. Yeah, well, at least you didn't have to _live _it!" Misato grumbled sourly despite her friends' obvious concern. "I feel like I was on the business of an Eva's foot."

"That bad, huh?" Furrowing her brows at this evaluation, Ritsuko leaned in closer to her friend. "Listen, I know you've already had a rough time, but I do need to ask you a few questions." Hearing genuine concern mixed with the scientific curiosity she knew so well in her friend's voice, Misato gave a quick nod. "Do you remember anything before you lost consciousness? Anything that could help us find out what caused it?"

"I'm not sure," Misato confessed, staring at the liquid in her cup as if she could see the answers to her problems in it. "All I know is that I felt like I was shaking hands with a lightning rod instead of the Commander. Right after it got _hit!_"

"Yeah, and you acted like it, too," Kaji grimly confirmed.

"I see," Ritsuko murmured, her frown deepening as she considered these things. "Have you noticed anything…strange lately? Any unusual symptoms, anything that would indicate a problem?" Misato shook her head to this. "Are you sure about that? Misato, I need to know. If there's _anything _you know that might help me figure out what happened…"

"Rits, if I knew anything, then believe me, I'd tell you!" Misato assured them. Then she decided to give them of her own gallows humor. "Because, contrary to common belief, flirting with death isn't one of my favorite pastimes!"

Exhaling sharply, Ritsuko studied her friend for a while longer. "Well, the doctors didn't find anything in their exams. Aside from the fact that you need to cut down on the beer and eat more vegetables, but we already knew that part." Responding to the Head Scientist's impromptu lecture by blowing her a raspberry, Misato's fun was cut short when she added, "Still, I'd like to take you down to my office, and run a few more tests. Just to be sure."

Looking sharply at the Head Scientist, Misato was about to demand if she were serious. Then she saw the resolute expression Ritsuko was wearing, and sighed in defeat. She knew that look all too well, having seen it several times in their college days, when her friend had been gearing up for something like the magnetic inductance machine she had made for the science fair. That look that meant that food, drink, sleep, and just about everything else would be secondary concerns at most until the project was completed to her satisfaction. "Ugh…alright, fine."

"I'm sorry, Misato. Commander's orders," Ritsuko apologized, giving a helpless shrug. "Not that I blame him. After all, we can't afford to have our Operations Director who might pass out during an Angel attack."

"True," Misato admitted with considerable bad grace. Then the new Major gave her friend a worried look. "Wait a minute. You don't think…this is that serious, do you?"

"To be honest, I doubt it. After all, none of the other tests indicated a major problem," Ritsuko told her. "Still, it's better to be certain. Especially if it keeps the Commander off our backs."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" Misato asked no one in particular with as much sarcasm as she could muster. Groaning deep in her throat, she sat up straighter and held her hands up in surrender. "All right, fine. But before you escort me to your personal torture chamber, could you give me a minute to call Shinji and Asuka? Let them know that I'll be late?"

"Of course not. Go right ahead," Ritsuko replied with a more genuine smile. "Would you like us to give you some privacy?"

"Eh, sure. Why not?" Misato replied, not really caring one way or the other. "Go ahead. This shouldn't take too long."

"Okay," Kaji nodded as he and Ritsuko stood and left the small room.

As soon as the door had closed behind them, Misato smiled wanly. "Thanks," she murmured, genuinely appreciative of this kind gesture. Then she reached into her flight jacket and pulled out her cell phone. Hoping that whatever tests Ritsuko had in mind for her wouldn't take too long.

* * *

"I don't like this," Ritsuko muttered as soon as she and Kaji were out of the small examination room. Discreetly looking up and down the halls, making certain that there was no one in earshot. No one to overhear the conversation that was about to take place.

"Trust me, you're not alone," Kaji sighed, speaking lowly. His expression stern and concerned, no a trace of the carefree attitude he normally maintained to be seen. "And if you'd seen the way Ikari was looking at her, you'd like it a whole lot less."

Not doubting this for a moment, Ritsuko looked hard at her unshaven friend. Wishing not for the first time that they were back in college, in a time more innocent and free of the layers of intrigue and deception that had formed about their lives. "Kaji…are you sure about what you saw? That it was the Commander's _hand _that Misato was reacting to?" she demanded, trying to find hope when there clearly was none. "Maybe she was just keyed up, or…"

"No, no. I sure wish it was that simple, but…I _saw _her, Rits. I saw the way she was looking at his hand. And so did he," Kaji whispered, his eyes fevered. Alert. Searching the walls for any hidden eyes or ears. "She was reacting to _it, _Rits. I don't know how or why, but…she could sense it. She didn't know what it was, maybe thought she was imagining it, but…"

Heaving a heavy breath, Ritsuko considered Kaji's words. "And you said that she…froze up on the way to the Commander's office?"

Giving a quick nod to this, Kaji reported, "Yeah. She was pretty quick to cover it up, but something was bothering her. And I'm not just talking about the paperwork." Letting out a low hiss, Ritsuko lowered her eyes somewhat as she considered this. "Wait," the unshaven man frowned, giving the doctor a hard look. "Has she…done that before?"

"Yes. Twice that I've seen," Ritsuko confirmed morosely. "Once, when we were having a drink down in one of the lounges, she just froze in place. I asked her what was wrong, but she didn't seem to hear me at me first. It was as if she weren't even there anymore." Pressing her lips together, she conjured up memories of the incident. It had just been an ordinary day after long, tiring day at NERV, and they had been doing whatever it was that they did on their breaks. Chatting about nothing, complaining about the lousy pay or whatever, with them getting in occasional digs on the other.

Misato had been in the middle of one of her lame jokes when it happened. She had looked at Ritsuko, an impish smirk spreading across her features, and without warning, she'd stopped talking. Her eyes had become glassy, and all emotion fled her face, leaving her looking much like a mannequin. The faux-blonde could still picture that moment, in which her friend became dead to the world.

As Ritsuko found that this memory still gave her pause, Kaji asked, "When did this happen?"

"A couple days after you arrived, Kaji. Before the first engagement with the 7th Angel," Ritsuko informed him. "Later, she told me that she'd been a little distracted lately, and…well, with Unit 02 and dealing with Asuka, I decided that made sense. Then, after the 8th Angel, when we were heading to the Commander's office to give him a report, and…"

"It happened again. On the way to Gendo's office," Kaji intuited. When Ritsuko nodded, he sighed before rolling his eyes skyward. "I suppose it's too much to hope that all of that is one big coincidence."

"Are there _ever _any coincidences around here?" Ritsuko asked unhappily, already thinking of the potential implications. As well as the dangers they could lead to. "So…do you have any ideas?"

Cocking his head to the side, Kaji made a thoughtful sound in his throat. "Well, I guess the first thing we should try to do is keep the Commander happy. Or at least not wondering about his new Major long enough for us to get some answers." Ritsuko nodded at this, seeing the sense in it. The longer they could keep Gendo satisfied that there was no immediate problem with Misato, the better. "And then…well, I guess the only thing we _can _do is…"

Kaji was cut off by the sound of a door flying open, at which the subject of their conversation appeared in the hall. "There. It's taken care of," Misato announced as Ritsuko hurriedly banished all her fears and concerns from her face and masked with them with more a casual appearance. "So, should we get going, Rits? Because the sooner we get this over and done with, the better I'll like it!"

Wishing she could be as sure of that as her friend was, Ritsuko nodded. "Alright, then. Let's do this, then."

Turning about on her heel, Ritsuko started towards her office, aware of her friends following a short distance behind. "By the way," Kaji began, his voice the deceptive casualness that the doctor knew so well, "I was just thinking of something."

"Really? _That'll_ be a first!" Misato sneered derisively.

"Oh! And she shoves yet _another _spear into me!" Kaji groaned, placing his hand over his heart before chuckling. "Seriously, I was just thinking that maybe we should get together some time. You know, just the three of us?"

"Really?" Ritsuko asked disinterestedly, wondering what exactly Kaji was driving at now.

"Sure! In fact, I found a great new place that I've been wanting to check out for a little while now," Kaji went on, completely carefree. "The three of us could get together, chat about old times. It'd be the perfect way to celebrate your promotion, Katsuragi."

Misato didn't answer at first, and Ritsuko could have sworn that she could hear her friend slowly considering this notion. "Hmm…" she hesitated, possibly unwilling to commit to anything that would encourage her former lover. "Well…maybe. Once we make sure that I'm going to be able to _keep_ it."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Kaji grinned even as Ritsuko considered his words. Wondering if his plans were some way of getting Misato to relax, and perhaps pump her for more information…or if he genuinely wanted them to get together. To relax like they had in the old days.

_The old days, _Ritsuko thought idly, recalling when the three of them had been college. A time they had viewed as simply a transition to the possibility of bigger, better things for all of them. New lives, new careers, new possibilities. _I never realized back then…how much I'd want to go back to that life…_

* * *

As much as Ritsuko downplayed the situation, there was no doubt that she took whatever had happened to Misato very seriously. Almost as seriously as Misato did herself. Which is why she offered no protest as the doctor took her down to her office, which doubled as a small but efficient lab. And she didn't do more than offer a few grumblings as her friend ran her tests, some of which were rather embarrassing, or about the fact that they took roughly four hours to complete and process.. However, she had no problem expressing her ire when she found out that the lengthy exam was completely useless.

"You mean you didn't find a _thing?_" Misato irritably demanded as she donned her flight jacket. "All those tests, and you _still_ don't know what caused me to pass out?"

"I'm sorry, Misato. I thought for sure that I'd find something." Ritsuko frowned as she studied the readout, seemingly more annoyed with her apparent failure than anything else. Shaking her head sourly as she stood up straight, the faux-blonde took off her reading glasses and considered the matter. "Maybe it _was _some kind of freak event. You were keyed up, surprised when the Commander gave you the promotion…maybe those things exacerbated something else, and…"

"Yeah, sure," Misato grumbled disbelievingly. "And since when is _anything_ that simple around here?"

Snorting a laugh, Ritsuko shot her friend a sideways glance. "Anyway, there's not much else I can do right now. The MAGI are still processing the information, so I might have some more information later."

"So I'm free to go?" Misato asked hopefully. "It's late, and in case you haven't forgotten, I still have to have dinner."

"I haven't forgotten. And I really wish you hadn't reminded me of food," Ritsuko returned to the sound of her own stomach rumbling. Misato tittered at this, her amusement growing at the annoyed look it garnered her. "Fine, you can go. But I'd like to take a blood sample first." Her amusement disappeared at this, and faded even more when she saw the resolute expression the doctor wore. "In case I think of something later, and want to run a few more tests."

_Great. She must've remembered that I hate needles,_ Misato grumbled inwardly. Heaving a weary sigh and deciding that it would be a small price to pay to get out of there and go home already she shrugged in defeat. "Alright, fine. Whatever makes you happy."

"Okay," Ritsuko replied with as comforting a smile as Misato had ever seen from her. Moving briskly about her office and personal workspace, the doctor quickly grabbed the appropriate items. Less than a minute later, she had drawn an ampoule full of blood and a hiss of discomfort from the Major. "There we go," Ritsuko remarked with satisfaction as she took the sample and placed it safely away. "Now, Misato, I want you to go straight home, and take it easy for the next few days." Nodding to this, she watched as the doctor carefully bandaged her arm before needling her in a completely different manner. "Of course, I'm sure you won't have any trouble managing that, what with Shinji taking care of all your chores for you!"

"Ha. Ha," Misato retorted, not in the mindset to come up with something truly cutting. "Thanks a bunch, Rits. I'll see you tomorrow. Assuming I decide to come in, that is!"

"Take care," Ritsuko replied, not allowing her own good humor to be dispelled as Misato took her leave. Wanting nothing more than to get as far away from NERV as she could.

* * *

By the time Misato drove her way out of NERV Headquarters and rode the elevator up out of the Geofront, night had long since covered Tokyo-3. Fortunately for her frayed nerves, she didn't encounter anyone on the roads back to her apartment. _Then again, what do I expect? _she asked herself at one point, not even bothering to suppress a long, loud yawn. _Everybody with an ounce of sense is at home in bed! Which is exactly what I'm going to be doing just as soon as I get something to eat!_

Visions of a hot meal and a warm bed already floating in her mind, Misato guided her battered Renault Alpine down the empty streets of the fortress city. This simple drive serving to soothe much of the stress that had built up over this exceedingly rotten day. Making it easier to put all the niggling problems and unanswered questions out of her mind. _Now, all I need is a couple beers and nice dinner to help me put everything behind me for the night!_

With this thought in mind, and not even wanting to think of the early morning that awaited her the next day, Misato eventually arrived at her apartment complex, and was soon at the door of her home. Taking note of the time and realizing that it was very likely that the children were already asleep, she exercised considerable caution as she opened the door and entered the apartment, doing her best to make sure that she didn't disturb any slumbering occupants. Only to nearly blow it when a loud 'wark' very nearly sent her jumping out of her shoes.

"Auugghh!" Misato yelped as she jumped back. Tottering off-balance for a moment, she very nearly fell down on her butt before she finally recovered. As soon as she had both feet firmly on the ground once more, the purple-haired woman placed her hand over her heart before she started looking for the source of the noise. "Augh…PenPen? What do you think you're _doing?"_

"Wark?" the warm water penguin sounded, apparently confused by his owner's ire.

Groaning loudly, Misato stood there staring at her feathered housemate for the longest time, fighting the urge to give him a major dressing down. But then she frowned, for while she might not have been in the best of moods, she knew that she had no right to take out whatever aggravations she had out on her friend and companion, as well as one of the few sources of support and relief she had in her life. "Aw…damn…" she muttered, trying to keep her voice down. "Uh…sorry about that." Heaving a weary sigh, she forced a smile onto her face. "So, what is it, you lazy bum? Wondering why I was out so late?" PenPen gave a quick, polite nod to this. "Ugh…tell you what. How about I get us both a beer and something to eat, and I'll tell you all about it."

Clearly pleased with this idea, PenPen warked his approval. "Shh! Be quiet!" Misato hissed. "I don't want to wake the children up! Okay?"

His eyes rounding with realization, PenPen brought his wings to his mouth in a very human gesture of dismay. Satisfied that her pet had gotten the big picture, Misato doffed her shoes and made her way towards the kitchen. However, when she reached the dining area, she discovered a note on the table. Frowning somewhat, she went over and picked the note up.

_'Misato: I'm sorry to hear that you're stuck working late tonight. I hope whatever it is you're working on doesn't keep you there too late,' _the note read._ 'I left you dinner in the oven, and set the temperature. All you have to do is turn it on, and let it cook for half an hour. Please, don't let it cook any longer. Signed, Shinji.' _

A surprised squeak escape Misato's lips at this. _Shinji…he left me dinner?_ Blinking a few times at this, the new Major went over to the oven and cracked it open. There inside was pan laden with beer-battered shrimp, as well as some vegetables and rice, all expertly made and ready to cook.

Letting out a tiny gasp, Misato stood back up and closed the oven before returning her focus to the note still in her hand. And as she looked at it, she couldn't help but smile in a somewhat sad manner. For as annoyed as she had been by Ritsuko's remark from before, there was no arguing against the fact that it was Shinji that took care of things at home, and not her. He did the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, everything that she should be doing herself, but was either too busy or lazy to do so. A role that he accepted without complaint or hesitation.

_He didn't even know why I was running late, _Misato thought, her smile deepening. _All I told him was that I had some business to take care of Ritsuko, and that I wouldn't be back until later. And still he…_

Heaving a weary sigh, Misato eyed the oven, and decided that there was no point in letting Shinji's hard work go to waste. Switching it on and making note of the time so that she didn't ruin her dinner, she then darted out of the kitchen, making sure to move as quietly as she could as she made her to Shinji's room. Carefully sliding the door open, she peeked inside. Sure enough, the normally somber, withdrawn 3rd Child was slumbering inside, his SDAT hanging loosely about his head, and his blanket lying crumpled on the floor.

Smiling at the boy that had wandered into her life, Misato snuck up to his side and picked up his blanket. "Thanks for the lovely dinner, Shinji-kun," she murmured as she draped it over him. Then she leaned down and placed a quick, tender kiss on his cheek. "And don't worry; I'll make sure I don't ruin it." Giggling slightly at this tease, she turned and left Shinji to his sleep. Hoping that whatever dreams he had were pleasant ones.

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, not too much action here, but I hope the drama makes up for it. Please, read and review. And check out my other stories too, please!

I'm glad everybody is enjoying this story, and I hope you'll all be happy to know that this the first in a series of such stories I have planned. Yup, I'm going to be showcasing all of the ladies of Eva with super powers in solo adventures, and I might even do one where they all get those powers in a single storyline, for one amazing adventure! After all, who doesn't like team-ups?

As for what powers they will have, I've settled on plans for everyone except Hikari. Still working on her.

A couple people out there seem to be under the impression that Misato just doesn't have the necessary mean to go with the green. I say, the fact that she so willingly killed in EOE to protect Shinji says otherwise. And she certainly has the traumatic background to go with it!

Besides, and let's be honest here…Misato as a Hulk? Running around in ripped-up clothes or no clothes at all? Is it even _possible_ to ignore the fan service potential? (I might have to up the rating, but still…)

Mike, I don't really mind you using the same title. After all, my story Rebirth isn't the only Eva fic with that title. Just do me a favor and let me know where to find your fic when it's finished.

Darknight3030, that Shinji/Rei story sounds kind of interesting. Could you point me in its direction?

Omake

"Whew! The new chapter is done!" Orion sighed as he sat back in his seat, wiping his brow and looking at his latest work in satisfaction. "I have to say, I think that came out pretty well. Wouldn't you say so, Misato?"

"Definitely," Misato agreed as she looked over the various scenes. "And I did like that bit of fluff you tossed in at the end."

"Glad you approve," Orion nodded. "Still, I have to admit, there's something I wanted to ask you."

Raising a purple eyebrow, Misato asked, "Oh? And what's that?"

"Well…why did you decide to stay here with me while I was writing out this chapter?" Orion wondered, a genuinely quizzical look on his face. "Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't enjoy your company…"

"Heh heh. I know, Orion," Misato smiled, stretching out her legs so that the fanfic writer could get a better look at them. "Believe me, I _know!"_

Unable to help himself, Orion glanced down at the shapely legs presented him. "Eh, yes," he got out, his cheeks burning somewhat. "But…anyway, you usually just wait until the chapter is done and read over later, just like the rest of the gang. So…why'd you decide to come watch me write?"

"Well, I decided I'd better supervise the writing of this chapter." Misato then level him a more serious look before adding, "You see, I had some…concerns about it."

"Concerns?" Orion repeated blankly.

"I'm sure you watched "The Incredible Hulk" live action series from the 80s, right?" Misato smiled brightly.

"Of course!" Orion replied. "I mean, who _didn't?"_

"And you remember that first transformation?" Misato continued, her smile tightening a bit. "You know, Banner's driving home in the rain, he has to change his tire, hurts himself…"

"And he hulks out for the very first time," Orion nodded. "Yes, of course, I remember that."

"I figured you did," Misato nodded. Then she leaned in closer to Orion and added, "Just the way I'm sure you remember the part where the Hulk trashed the car and sent it crashing down in a ball of fire."

"Sure, I -!" Then Orion cut himself off as realization struck him. "And you were worried that I might have you hulk out in this chapter and trash your car. Is that it?"

"Exactly," Misato smirked dangerously. "After all, it's an iconic image, and I was a bit…worried…that you might not be able to avoid the temptation of doing your own version." Narrowing her eyes sharply, the purple-haired woman pressed in closer to the fanfic writer. "Because, as I'm sure you're aware, I'm _very _fond of my car. And even as beat up as it is, I don't want _anything _to happen to it."

"Okay, okay! I get the idea, Misato!" Orion replied, holding up his hands in protest. "The car is off-limits to any smashing, destruction, or mayhem, unless it gets fixed right away."

Her eyes narrowing at this exclusion, Misato considered it for a second or two before asking, "Fixed. As in _perfectly _fixed? As good as it was before if not better?" Orion gave a quick nod to this. "Well, then, that should be just fine."

"Okay," Orion sighed in relief. "Then it's settled, then."

"Good, good." Misato smiled dreamily as she let her gaze wander around Orion's office. "You know, if you _do _manage to get my car repaired, I will be extremely happy with you." Then she planted her hand on the writer's head and forced him to look into eyes that flashed a deadly green. "And if you forget this little chat of ours and completely destroy my car…I will be very, _very _angry with you. And we both know that you _won't _like me when I'm angry!"

"I won't! Misato, okay?" Orion protested, not liking the intense green that was building in the purple-haired woman's eyes. "The car won't get destroyed! I _promise!"_

"Good! Just make sure that you don't forget that little item, and we'll get along just fine!" With that, Misato stood and made her way over to Orion's computer. "Well, I better going now. Shinji's making his famous curried chicken for dinner tonight, and you know I don't want to miss that!"

"Right. Got it," Orion nodded, still shaking from his close call. Watching as Misato used his computer to generate a portal back over the Fourth Wall, he didn't stop shaking until she had returned to Tokyo-3. "Gotta make a note," he told himself, sweating over his close call. "Make sure that that new studio I'm building on the Fourth Wall has power suppressers to keep the gang in line. Or I might not even survive a single trip there!"


	3. Savage Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 3: Savage Awakening

"This is completely unacceptable," Gendo muttered lowly, not even bothering to look at the reports that lay before him on his desk. Meaningless scraps of nothing that he had already read through and would discard just as soon as he was done with the people that had presented them to him. "It's been four days since the incident with Major Katsuragi. Four _days._ And neither of you have presented me with a suitable explanation as to what caused it. Let alone how to keep it from happening again."

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't offer any explanation," Ritsuko admitted, her expression the mirror image of the kind her mother had worn whenever she had been confronted with insoluble scientific dilemma, and had been called to court as a result of this failure. "I've pored over the test results, I've had the MAGI search for any possible precedents, I've even called Misato in for follow-ups on her examination. But so far, we haven't been able to find such as a single anomaly. Certainly nothing that could account for her…reaction to Adam."

"And you're sure about that?" Fuyutsuki inquired from his usual place at Gendo's side. "What about that experimental sedative that was dumped in Lake Ashi? Could it have anything to do with this?"

"Sedative?" Kaji spoke up even as Ritsuko let out a tiny hiss of frustration. "Wait, that sounds familiar. Weren't you experimenting with some kind of sedative -?"

"For the Evas, yes. To stop them in case one or more of them went berserk," Ritsuko broke in, not even bothering to try and hide her exasperation in regards to that particular incident. "But it didn't work, Kaji. And we had to dump the entire project."

"Yes, into Lake Ashi. Several thousand gallons of LCL mixed with DNA from Unit 00 dumped in Tokyo-3's drinking water," Gendo commented, feeling an edge of irritation. "And we _all_ know the result of that act of carelessness. Don't we, Dr. Akagi?"

Her features tensing with annoyance she didn't dare express, Ritsuko heaved a deep breath before speaking. "Yes, sir. I am aware of what happened," she gritted, barely managing to sugarcoat her words in a veneer of graciousness. "But at the same time, I can't see how it could have anything to do with what's going on with Misato. The sedative was released into the lake well before the 3rd Angel even appeared, and from what we can tell, she hadn't exhibited any unusual behavior until much more recently. And even if the Angelic DNA had somehow infiltrated her system, it would still be detectable."

Frowning tersely, Gendo was forced to admit that his Head Scientist had a valid point. As a scientist himself, he was quite familiar with Angelic DNA, as well as its various properties. "Then do you have any other possible explanations, Doctor? For this…sensitivity of the Major's?"

"Yes, sir. And I think it's actually quite simple," Ritsuko responded in a firm, professional fashion. "As we know, Misato was at ground zero when Second Impact occurred. The only person to be directly exposed to Adam's power, and to live to tell about it." Taking a step closer to the Commander, she gave him a stern look, showing no emotional attachment as she continued. "Now, people have been known to become sensitive to certain elements or energies when they're exposed to large quantities of them. A person exposed to amounts of snake venom can develop a limited resistance to it, while someone who's badly burned by the sun or other forms of radiation can become sick because of subsequent exposures."

"So what you're saying is that the Major's reaction is due to her previous exposure to Adam?" Fuyutsuki intuited in the same manner he had as a college professor.

"It would seem likely," Ritsuko agreed. "After all, she's the only person we know of to have absorbed such large amount of energy from Adam, so I would consider it to be at least a possibility. And if she recognized the sensations caused by Adam's power, even if it was only on a subconscious level, then that would explain why she fainted as well." Gendo didn't say anything to this; he simply sat there and considered these possibilities. Something which emboldened the doctor to step forward and press her point. "Misato was deeply traumatized in that event, both physically and mentally. And if she _did _sense Adam, and associate that sensation with Second Impact, then it's possible that her fainting spell was a result of her attempting to escape whatever psychological stress being in close proximity to Adam may have caused her. A way of protecting herself from it."

Frowning in thought, Gendo continued to sit there, his fingers steepled together before him. "Your theory _is _sound, Dr. Akagi," he finally conceded. "But that is all it is; a theory. And even if it is correct, it still doesn't help us resolve our primary concern." Pausing just long enough to let this sink in, Gendo narrowed his eyes and asked, "How do we keep Major Katsuragi from discovering the truth about Adam?"

Sitting in his seat of power, the position that he had fought long and hard to obtain, Gendo watched as those under his thrall exchanged a look, fully aware that their friend's life was in his hands, as were their own. And they both knew what they had to do in order to survive, as well as keep Major Katsuragi alive. They all knew that keeping her away from her Commander wasn't a viable option, especially after what happened. Despite her more outlandish mannerisms, Gendo knew her to be an intelligent woman. And while she was likely confused by recent events, sooner or later, she would start putting the pieces together. And that was something that none of them could afford.

"Well…" Ritsuko began, fearful and determined at the same time. "If we can't neutralize Misato's sensitivity to Adam, then it might be possible to mask it's presence from her."

Gendo frowned, displeased with the fact that he was once again only being handed a theory. But at the same time, he knew that Ritsuko was good at her work, and that she wouldn't have suggested this unless she felt it was a viable possibility. "Very well. Begin work on that, see what can be done."

"Sir, there _is_ something else," Kaji spoke up, taking Gendo by surprise. All eyes shifting to the Commander's agent, they watched as he flashed them a knowing smile. "I happened to 'bump into' Shinji and Asuka yesterday when they were here for their synch tests."

Studying the unshaven man, knowing that he must have something important to say but hating his tendency to draw out the suspense when he felt he could get away with it, Gendo was about to ask him what his point was when Fuyutsuki spared him the necessity. "I take it that they told you something that might shed some light on the situation?"

"You could definitely say that," Kaji agreed, warming to the subject. "I asked them how things were going at home. You know, making basic chit-chat. And then Asuka mentioned something rather interesting." Pausing again to milk the drama of the situation, the unshaven spy cocked his head to the side before saying, "Turns out that Katsuragi had one hell of a nightmare before last night."

"A nightmare?" Gendo repeated blankly.

"What does that prove?" Ritsuko wondered, her brows furrowed with confusion. "So she had a nightmare. So what?"

Giving a casual shrug, Kaji responded, "Well, I have to admit, I felt pretty much the same way at first. That is, until she mentioned that she's been having the same nightmare again and again for some time now." Turning to focus on his superiors, he added, "Now, they didn't know much about the dream itself – Katsuragi never went into details about that. But they did know one thing; that she's had this same dream several times, and she started having it right after she took down Jet Alone."

"Really," Gendo murmured, his interest now piqued by what could be a genuine clue. Turning towards Ritsuko, he asked, "Has she ever mentioned this to you, Dr. Akagi?"

Ritsuko's expression soured with displeasure at this. "No…but she never did talk about this sort of thing. Not even when we were back in college."

"Dr. Akagi, as I recall, when you gave us your report on the Jet Alone mission, you _did _mention certain…anomalies," Fuyutsuki muttered sternly. "'Would you care to elaborate on them? Perhaps they might shed some light on the current situation."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko began, taking a moment to clear her thoughts before speaking in full. "As I had already explained, Misato cracked the helmet of her suit before she was able to enter Jet Alone. However, there was no sign of radiation contamination, either in her or the suit, so I assumed that the break must not have been as severe as it looked." The doctor's expression soured that much more before she went on. "However, there was something else that was strange about it."

"The manner in which the Major was able to shut down the reactor?" Fuyutsuki guessed. "You said that it had been her that had deactivated it, rather than your virus."

"That's right. Misato said that she had no memory of what happened next, but Shinji reported that she was able to _manually _force the nuclear control rods back into place. Something which is confirmed by Unit 01's onboard recorders." Her features tightening with concern, the doctor shifted nervously about on her feet before continuing. "Now, those rods are solid lead, and under normal circumstances, would be extremely difficult for a single human being to move on her own. But Misato was somehow able to get them all back into place, and _very _quickly."

Gendo narrowed his somewhat at this. Thinking back, he did recall Ritsuko mentioning something to this effect, but she had been rather vague in terms of details. And he had not paid it any mind, and ultimately brushed it off as being inconsequential. His overall plan had been achieved, and had not been impacted by Misato's actions. However, it didn't take him long to see the folly in their inattention. "And you didn't think this worth mentioning in detail?"

Wincing at her omission, Ritsuko shook her head and said, "At the time, I didn't think it was important. After all, the fact that one of our people risked her life to stop Jet Alone did a lot for our relations with the Japanese government, as well as the UN. Besides, there are many recorded instances of people exhibiting superhuman strength in times of great stress or need, so…"

"So you assumed that this was just another such instance," Gendo muttered, sending the doctor back a step with the force of his glare. "Dr. Akagi, I want you to go over all the materials pertaining to the Jet Alone, including the Major's suit and the records of any exams done on her both before and after the mission. If there's any connection between that and her, then I want to know about it." Ritsuko gave a curt, affirmative nod to this. "Also, I want the both of you to talk to the Major, get her to discuss these dreams with you. See if they can give us any insight into this situation. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko and Kaji immediately responded. A moment later, the unshaven man asked, "Will there be anything else, sir?"

"No. You're dismissed." Watching disinterestedly as the two of them offered him a polite bow before turning to leave, Gendo lowered his gaze somewhat. Looking at the worthless reports handed to him, but not seeing them. Not seeing anything but the dilemma confronting him. The latest in many thorns lining the path that would reunite him with his wife, and win him everything else he had fought so long to claim. A thorn that he wasn't precisely sure how to handle.

"So, Ikari." Even as Fuyutsuki began to speak, Gendo knew what his old professor was going to ask him. "What will you do now?"

Gendo didn't say anything right away, simply because he didn't have an answer himself. In an ideal world, he would have arranged a suitably fatal accident for the Major, found someone else to take her place in NERV, and be done with it. A simple solution with minimal risk, and one that had worked in dealing with several annoyances in the past.

But the truth was that the sinful world he lived in was far from perfect, and this solution could likely cause him far more problems in the long run than he could foresee. The first problem, Gendo knew, was that people with Misato's qualifications were few and far between. True, there were plenty of ranking officers with command experience that could theoretically take her place, but there just weren't that many people with her kind of ingenuity for strategy, especially in dealing with the Angels. Her solutions for dealing with the 5th and 6th Angels were a prime example of what she could do under pressure, and such ingenuity would likely be key to dealing with the rest of Adam's kin.

The next problem was that there were few people with as much reason to want to kill the Angels as Misato did. Gendo knew full well of her loathing of Adam and his children, and had read the many psychological evaluations conducted on her during her slow recovery from Second Impact. He knew the kind of hatred seething in her would prove to be an excellent motivator for a person in her position. It would help make sure that she got the job done. No matter what it took.

Another problem had to do with the troops Misato commanded. Most soldiers of her rank and experience were used to dealing with adult troops, while the Evangelions could only be piloted by children. Not too many people could treat children as soldiers, and work with them on that basis; half of her peers in the military regarded the Children as inferiors to be brushed aside, while the other half were utterly appalled by the concept of conscripting youths such as them for combat purposes.

_And there's another problem. The Children themselves,_ Gendo frowned, images of them and how they would react to the Major's untimely demise popping into his mind. Rei wouldn't be a problem; her loyalty was ultimately to him and him alone. But Pilot Sohryu was a discipline problem waiting to happen, and her eagerness to prove her superiority was something that needed to be reined in constantly. Things that couldn't be handled by someone who didn't understand her as much as Major Katsuragi did. _And as for the 3rd Child…_

As he thought of his son, Gendo suppressed the urge to snort. When he had agreed to let Misato become Shinji's guardian, he had been certain that living with someone like her would keep the boy emotionally suppressed, easier to control. But instead, the exact opposite had happened, and the two of them had bonded with each other over the past few months. So much so that when Misato had been brought into NERV Medical after the Jet Alone incident, the boy was grief-stricken, weeping uncontrollably as she had been raced into isolation. And had ultimately remained there in waiting, even after he had been told that she would be alright. Consumed with guilt and the certainty that it had been his fault that his guardian was dead.

On the one hand, Gendo knew that the ability to instantly plunge his son into such a state could very well be useful. But on the other, he knew that Shinji's synch ratio had grown rapidly since he had started piloting, far more than he would have anticipated. And he suspected that he knew who was responsible for getting the morose 3rd Child to open up. _In which case, if the Major were to die, it would likely have a negative impact on his synch ability,_ he thought sourly. _And we can't afford that now. Not with so many Angels remaining._

After considering all these things, Gendo finally made his decision. "We'll deal with her, should it prove necessary. But for now, I want Katsuragi supervised at all times. Arrange for a Section 2 detail to monitor her activities."

"Very well," Fuyutsuki replied. "But it might take a time to select suitable agents. Considering the situation between Chiron and Katsuragi."

Though Gendo found himself chafing at the possibility of a delay, he had to admit that his old professor had a valid point. Though Captain Chiron was a capable agent and about the only one who could wring some competence out of Section 2, he and Katsuragi had a deep-seated loathing for each other. Something that could very easily make a sensitive situation spiral out of control. "Agreed. Select a team that can be trusted to handle the situation discreetly. We can't afford any mistakes." When his second-in-command nodded, Gendo considered his next move. "And in the meantime, we must prevent any further contact between the Major and Adam." He paused for a moment, thinking of potential means of accomplishing this. "The old men…they're making preparations for our expedition to the South Pole. To retrieve the one true Lance."

"Yes, they are," Fuyutsuki confirmed. "But it will still be some time before the expedition is ready to depart."

"Perhaps, but…it may be prudent for us to conduct an inspection of the fleet. Make sure that everything is on schedule," Gendo sounded out, liking the convincing fashion in which his words rolled off his tongue. "This mission will be under our direct command, sensei. It would be foolish not to make certain that everything will be in readiness. Wouldn't you agree?"

Fuyutsuki didn't say anything to this. He didn't have to. After all the years they had known each other, his silence was answer enough. "I'll have the arrangements made with the harbormaster," Gendo said mostly to himself. "In the meantime, I suggest you prepare the surveillance detail. We can't afford any missteps."

"Very well, Ikari," Fuyutsuki conceded. Just as Gendo had known he would.

* * *

As Ritsuko stood in one of the control rooms of the pribnow box, overseeing yet another afternoon synch test, she found herself doing everything she could to act like it was just another day at NERV. To act like her earlier meeting with Gendo hadn't happened. To push it and all her other concerns to the side, and focus solely on the facts and figures being recorded.

On the one hand, she felt it should have been simple. She had been putting on a façade of normalcy for years now, almost from the day she became NERV's Head Scientist. And she had had plenty other onerous assignments handed down upon her by Commander Ikari. But on the other hand, never before had she had to deal with an assignment that came so close to home. Or had she been as fearful of the potential outcome.

_I can't believe this is happening, _Ritsuko found herself thinking as she looked about the observation room. At the various techs there that were monitoring the synch test, as well as the woman who was quite likely her best friend in the entire world. _Why did it have to turn out this way? Why?_

But even as Ritsuko asked herself these questions, she knew that she already knew the answer. Because a possible monkey wrench had appeared out of nowhere, and from the most unlikely of places. And if it weren't dealt with promptly, it could very easily find its way into the delicate works of both Gendo's and SEELE's plans. Something she knew neither one of them would tolerate.

Heaving a weary sigh, Ritsuko looked in the direction of her friend. As was usual, Misato was standing at the back of the observation room, her arms folded across her chest as she silently observed the synch test. Radiating her disapproval of the role the Children had been forced into. _What would you think of me, if you knew?_ the faux-blonde sadly wondered, suffering the terrible feeling that she knew the answer to this question as well. _What would you have done in my place?_

Ritsuko didn't have the answer to this question. And even as she strived to put it out of her mind, one of the female techs there announced that the synch test had been completed. Huffing a weary breath, the doctor looked down into the testing area, and watched as the three Test Plugs opened up. "Good work, all of you," Ritsuko announced, barely glancing at the individual scores as she pushed her fears and concerns out of her mind and forced a look of scientific interest onto her face. "Report to the control room for your scores."

It was a bit easier for Ritsuko to act like everything was normal after that, because in a way, it _was _normal. She knew this part of her routine so well that she could practically take care of it in her sleep. After the Children had exited the Test Plugs and showered off the lingering LCL, they came to the observation room. Even the way they reacted to Ritsuko giving them their test scores was the same as always, with Rei displaying no emotion at all and Asuka grinning over the fact that her scores were the highest of them all. Then they would go home, and Ritsuko and the rest of them would file their reports, and…

"Hey, there, everyone," sounded a familiar voice. One that was jolted her with surprise. One that was not part of her routine.

"Why, hello, Kaji-kun!" Asuka cooed. Before Ritsuko could turn to look, the German girl had somehow managed to materialize right next to him, her arms wrapped about his. "What are you doing here? Did you come to see what my new test score is?"

"And hello to you, too, Asuka," Kaji returned easily, grinning that usual grin that made so many people dismiss him as an idiot. A perception that couldn't be further from the truth, as Ritsuko well knew.

_Right, right. Of course,_ Ritsuko frowned somewhat, her anxieties struggling to return to the fore. Today wasn't another day. She couldn't rely on her routine to get her through it. She had a job to do. _Kaji's doing his part…and now it's my turn._

"I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you here as well," Ritsuko began, keeping any unwanted emotions out of her voice. "So, what brings NERV's official UN Supervisor here today? Business, or pleasure?"

"Hmm, a bit of both, you could say," Kaji commented, still smiling that famous smile as he looked at the doctor and Misato. "As I recall, the three of us were considering going to celebrate. And I thought that maybe if your schedules were clear for tonight, then maybe…"

While Asuka's features twisted with displeasure over the fact that she was no longer the focus of Kaji's attention, Shinji's were shifting with confusion. "Uh…celebrate?" he asked as he looked blankly about. "Celebrate what?"

"Why, Katsuragi's big promotion, of course!" Kaji explained enthusiastically. When the 2nd and 3rd Children gasped in surprise, he shot them a quizzical look. "What, didn't she tell you?"

"Uh, no!" Asuka returned, her foul mood forgotten as she looked at her guardian. "A promotion, huh? I didn't even notice!"

"Me neither," Shinji admitted. "When did this happen?"

"Uh…about five days ago, I think," Misato muttered, glancing about warily at her coworkers. "You know, when I had to stay late that night?"

"Oh, I see! So _that's _what the big holdup was all about!" Asuka declared before casting a glance over at Shinji. "The baka'd been wondering about that one!"

Clearly startled by this shift in the conversation, Shinji let his mouth fall open as he looked over at the German. "Uh, well…" he fumbled, looking between Asuka and Misato, "I wasn't…that is…" After a few more bungled attempts at coherent speech, Shinji sighed and tried again. "So…you got promoted, huh?"

Grateful for the momentary distraction, Ritsuko nodded and came up to her friend's side. "That's right. Misato's a Major now."

"Wow." Looking over at his guardian, Shinji managed a tiny smile. "That's…really nice, Misato."

Asuka raised an eyebrow at this statement, and looked like she was about to say something when Misato said, "Thanks, Shinji. But to be honest…it's not that big a deal."

"Not that big a deal?" Asuka repeated, sounding as if she had doubts about her guardian's sanity. "What, are you kidding? You've been promoted! You're a Major now! Don't you know what that means?"

Misato didn't answer. Nor did anyone else, for that matter. Leaving the German to look expectantly at the people around her for a time, until Shinji finally asked, "Uh…so what _does _it mean, Asuka?"

Her eyes went wide with astonishment before they shifted into an annoyed glower. "It means, _baka,_ that Misato's status went up! She's going to be known throughout the Japanese government!" Asuka declared, leaning over towards Shinji with her hands on her hips. "She'll be able to write her own ticket into any part of the military! Hell, maybe even a better paycheck! Does that answer your question?"

While Shinji responded with a distressed look that confirmed he got the idea, Misato chuckled ruefully. "Actually, I'm pretty sure that all it means is that I'm going to have even more paperwork dumped on me than before."

"Aw, why do you have to be such a pessimist? After all, being a Major does look pretty good on one's resume!" Kaji informed her in a teasing fashion. "And that's reason enough to celebrate. Wouldn't you agree?"

Misato frowned in consideration. "Well…"

"I certainly think so," Ritsuko agreed, playing her own role in this. "Besides, it _has _been a long time since the three of us got together for a night out on the town."

Making a thoughtful sound in her throat that said that her resistance was flagging, Misato glanced mischievously at the doctor. "Are you sure, Rits? Don't you have paperwork of your own, waiting for your signature?"

"Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow. And right now, I could use a stiff drink," Ritsuko assured her, putting heavy emphasis on the last part.

"Well…I don't know," Misato muttered before looking towards the Children. "What about you two? Would you be okay if I…"

"Decided to get yourself drunk off your ass?" Asuka concluded with a snide look. "Sure, go right ahead! At least this way we won't have to watch!"

"Asuka…!" Shinji muttered disapprovingly, even as a derisive snigger escaped Ritsuko's lips. For while she wasn't overly fond of the German's obnoxiousness at times, she well understood her feelings on that point.

Additional snorts of laughter made themselves heard, drawing a poisonous look from the subject of them. "Thanks a bunch, Ritsuko," Misato glowered, a vein bulging from her forehead.

Recognizing the look shot at her, and realizing that Misato might decline their invitation if she continued laughing, Ritsuko clamped her lips shut and cleared her throat. "So," she tried again, hoping to get their conversation back on course. "Do you feel up for a night out on the town?"

Still annoyed, Misato glanced about at her friends and her wards for a time. "Well...okay. Sure. But only if you two are buying," she finally decided. "If we're celebrating my promotion, then I don't see why I should be the one to pay."

Inwardly wincing at the hit her bank account was about to take, Ritsuko kept her smile in place and nodded. "Okay, deal," she agreed, watching as Misato smirked in triumph. "Just give us a few minutes to finish up here, and we can get going. Oh, and Misato? One more thing." The Major frowned somewhat as the doctor smirked herself. "I think it would be best if you left your car here. We can take the subway to wherever we're going."

"Huh? The subway? But why?" Misato squawked, her smile instantly erased. "if you're making another crack about my driving…!"

"No. I'm just thinking that, if tonight runs true to form, then none of us are going to be in any shape to drive _anywhere_ tonight," Ritsuko retorted, mixing her teasing with a healthy dose of common sense. "And I'd rather we all got home in one piece, thank you so much."

For a moment, Ritsuko was convinced that she had teased Misato one time too many that night. But eventually, the purple-haired woman curled her lips and gave her friend an evil look. "Fine. Have it your way," she stated. "I just hope you're ready to make it up to me tonight. Because if I can't drive, then I'm sure as hell am going to enjoy myself some other way!"

_Translation, I'm really glad that I just got paid,_ Ritsuko grimaced. Wondering if she could somehow get her impending bill treated as a business expense, and maybe have it compensated for later on, she threw up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I get the idea," she replied. She considered commenting on how they were going to have to carry Misato back to her apartment on their backs, but decided that she didn't want to risk her changing her mind. "So how about if we meet at the eastern entrance in about half an hour?"

"Sure thing," Kaji grinned in agreement before looking down at the pilots. "And while you ladies get ready, I can escort the Children out and see them off. That is, if they're free to go…"

Asuka, who had been looking increasingly annoyed over the fact that Kaji was going to spending a considerable amount of time in close proximity to two other women, instantly beamed in delight. "Why certainly, Kaji-kun!" she smiled, tightening her grip on the unshaven man's arm. "Just be sure to get Misato back early. She _does _have to work tomorrow, remember?"

"Yes, yes, I know. More's the pity, I say, but…" Shrugging helplessly, Kaji departed the control room with the Children. Leaving Misato and Ritsuko to look at each other.

"I better get going, too," Misato admitted. "There's a few things I need to get cleared up before I can take off."

"Same here," Ritsuko agreed. "So, I'll see you in half an hour then."

"You bet you will!" Misato grinned before turning to depart as well. Apparently carefree as she exited the control room. Leaving Ritsuko wishing that she felt that way herself.

* * *

"Ah…" Misato sighed contentedly as she sat back in her seat after emptying her latest round. "You know, I'm probably gonna regret saying this, but this is a great place Kaji found for us."

"It is indeed," Ritsuko agreed as she took a sip of her own drink. "And by the way, just how many drinks are you going to have tonight? Your liver is going to turn into a prune if you keep this up!"

"Hmph! Are you sure you're not just saying that because you're the one footing the bill?" Misato grinned crookedly even as her surroundings swam a bit.

As Ritsuko responded by shooting her friend a dirty look, the third member of their group reappeared with several glasses in hand. "Hello, ladies," Kaji smiled as he sat himself down at the circular table they had commandeered for their celebration. After placing one of the fresh glasses before Misato, he hoisted another one into the air. "I'd like to propose a toast. To good friendships; may they outlast any of the stupid problems the three of us have."

Snorting, Misato was momentarily tempted to comment on how damned unlikely that was, considering the person proposing the toast. But at the moment, she was feeling too warm and cozy with good beer in her system and a nice, comfortable bar and restaurant to enjoy them in to say anything like that. Besides, Ritsuko was already raising her glass to this. "To good friendships," the doctor smiled before glancing the Major's way. A smile she responded to by raising her glass and echoing her sentiment.

As the three of them knocked back a portion of their drinks, Kaji glanced across the dining area, at the few people enjoying their evening there. "It sure is getting quiet in this city," he commented with a hint of sadness. "It feels like more and more people are moving away from here every single day."

"I know," Misato muttered. "Not that I can blame them, though."

"True. It's hard to make a life here, now that the Angels have returned," Ritsuko concurred. "But then, that's what we're here for. To make sure that people _can _have a life. Right?"

"Exactly. And I must say, it's nice to see you showing such an upbeat attitude towards the situation, Ritsy," Kaji commented, flashing a grin that had grated Misato, even back when they had been together. "Usually, you're so caught up in being a scientist with all your facts and figures and what-not…"

"I _am _scientist, Kaji. And I was just stating a fact," Ritsuko countered smugly.

Shrugging as if he couldn't have cared less one way or the other, Kaji muttered, "Well, it's the thought that counts." Seeing her former boyfriend and resident pain in the butt taken down a notch, Misato snickered loudly, and decided that this in and of itself warranted a victory sip. "And it's also nice to see you enjoying yourself."

"Though I personally think you're enjoying yourself that way a bit too much," Ritsuko commented. "I swear, whenever you get like this, you're completely out of control."

"Wrong. This is my way of _staying _in control, Rits," Misato countered impishly.

"Look, I'm just saying that…"

"Whatever you're saying, you can stuff it until you manage to get through a day at work without going through three or four cigarettes…you hypocrite," Misato smirked. Her grin of triumph widening when she saw the stung expression her words got out of her friend.

The two of them sat there for a time, studying each other, before Ritsuko wrinkled her nose and declared, "You always have to have the last word, don't you?"

"Yup! And do you know why?" Chuckling wickedly, Misato took another sip and slammed down her glass. "Because there's no better word than the last word!"

"Heh. Truer words have never been spoken. Cheers!" Kaji commented before downing a few chugs of his own beverage. Misato did the same, and after grumbling a bit more, Ritsuko did as well.

The evening continued to proceed in this fashion, with the three of them talking about their times together, both in the past and more recently. And the longer they talked and the more booze found its way into her system, the harder it was for Misato to think about the reality of modern life, of the Angels, her responsibilities at NERV, and even the two children she was supposed to be guardian of. Even as she watched, her vision blurred, and time seemed to slide away from the three of them.

_The more things change, the more they stay the same,_ Misato found herself thinking dully, the meaning of these words never as clear before as they were then. There they were, their lives having taken such divergent courses, and here they were, back together again. Talking and drinking as if nothing had happened. As if they had never gone their separate ways.

As Misato slowly relaxed, wishing she could take that bit of fantasy and wrap it about herself like a warm blanket, she was brought back to the present by Kaji's voice. "By the way, Katsuragi, I happened to bump into the kids earlier today," he began, his grinning face blurring before her. "Had a nice talk with Shinji and Asuka. Man, that girl can talk when she sets her mind to it!"

"I know," Misato agreed, her neck shifting about like rubber as she tried to focus on Kaji. "Just be sure to keep your hands off of her, you over-sexed idiot! She's still underage!"

Laughing loudly in response, Kaji smirked. "Aw, c'mon. I don't deny that Asuka's going to be a real beauty someday, but I'm not one to sneak around, hunting for presents before they're made available." Snorting disbelievingly, Misato averted her eyes, the room wobbling somewhat as she did. "Besides, we were just having a nice little chat. Just the way the three of us are doing right now."

"Hmph. That's a likely story," Misato grumbled. "And just what did she happen to chat about that's so interesting, huh?"

"Oh, a few little things," Kaji told her, still grinning like an idiot. "For example, she happened to mention that you've been having some rough nights."

It took Misato's well-soused mind a few seconds to process this statement, but it succeeded in doing so, her good mood went up in a puff of smoke. "Aw, I don't believe this! What's she doing, going around, talking about _that?"_ Growling deep in her throat, she gathered together whatever scraps of sobriety were left to her, and used them to focus on the people that were supposed to be her friends. "So, what? Is that why you decided you wanted to 'celebrate my promotion'? Because you wanted to talk to me about that?"

"No, of course not!" Kaji declared, something Misato viewed with a heavy measure of suspicion. "What, is there some law that says I can't be just a bit worried when something's troubling you in your sleep?"

Misato didn't say anything to this. Instead, she shifted her glare over at her other 'friend'. "And what about you, Rits?" she grumbled sourly. "Were you just…a little worried?"

Meeting Misato's gaze, Ritsuko sat there for a time before heaving a deep breath. "I'd be lying if I said I weren't," she finally admitted. "And no offense, Misato, but you're not the easiest person to get to open up about herself."

_Aw, damn. I guess I should've known Ritsuko wouldn't foot the bill unless she had some kind of ulterior motive, _Misato thought vehemently as she speared her companions with a glare. _At least she has the decency to look guilty about it._ Snorting at this, she shook her head and decided to try and heap a little extra guilt on while she was at it. "Should've known this little party was too good to be true," she muttered, taking a grim satisfaction in the way their faces darkened. "Alright, you two. What do you want me to tell you?"

"Well, the truth would be a good place to start," Kaji decided, tossing away his downcast expression with the ease of shedding his coat. "Like why you've been waking up screaming at least two or three times a month?"

"Geh. Bad enough Asuka has to blab about it, she has to go and exaggerate as well. It's only been _once_ this month so far," Misato growled deep in her throat, only to groan and bring her hand to her forehead as she belatedly realized she had said just the wrong thing. "Look, it's no big deal. It's just a bad dream. So what? Everyone has them."

"Tell me about it," Ritsuko harshly agreed. "But I don't think Asuka or Shinji would have made such a big deal about it if it were just another bad dream."

"Besides, Shinji said you've been having this same one for a while now. Since before I even arrived." Groaning as Kaji scored a direct hit and making a mental note to have a ward with the 3rd Child when she was a bit less drunk, Misato sat back and listened as the unshaven man followed up. "Now, I'm no psychologist, but even I know that when you have the same nightmare that much, then something's wrong."

Exhaling sharply out her lips, Misato bent over the table and wished there was some way she could magically disappear. "I suppose it's too much to hope that you two will stop bugging me about this if I ask you really nicely, huh?" When the two of them didn't say anything to this, which was answer enough for her, she sat up straighter and muttered, "Fine, fine. If it'll get you to back off, then I'll tell you all the gory details." Heaving a deep breath, she gathered her thoughts as best as she could, and told them about the hideous nightmare that had given her no peace. A chill ran up and down her spine as she talked to them about it, something that brought the terror of the nightmare realm that much closer to her. She could almost city the decimated landscape with all its ghosts, almost hear them talking to her. Could very nearly see the survival capsule, as well as the horror within, demanding to be released.

"And that's where I wake up," Misato concluded, shuddering with relief as she completed her narrative. "It ends the same way every single time, with this…thing telling me to let it out." Narrowing her eyes at the others, she frowned as she watched them exchange glances of concern. "So, are you satisfied yet? Or do I have to tell you just how many times this stupid dream has shown up, or how sick I am of having it already?"

"Misato, I'm sorry. We're not trying to upset you," Ritsuko told her earnestly. "But if this thing's been bothering you so much, then I wish you'd have told one of us a lot sooner."

"Heh. You're a fine one to be talking about that, Ritsuko," Misato snorted. "Besides, what good would it do me, anyway? You think just talking about it is going to magically make this thing go away and not come back another day." Snorting once again, she hefted up her drink and downed the last of it in one chug. "Shit…talk about the perfect way to ruin the perfect evening…"

"On the contrary, I think it's still a perfect evening," Kaji smiled. Her eyes going wide with outrage, Misato felt a scathing commentary regarding Kaji's manners, upbringing, and parentage coming to her lips before he added, "After all, the fact that you can trust us with something like this says a lot about how much you've grown up. I can't imagine you ever doing something like this back when we were kids."

Her face wrinkling like she had just spent the past hours sucking overripe lemons, Misato leaned forward and asked, "Do you want to know another sign that I've grown up?" She waited a beat before snatching Kaji's glass. "The fact that I'm going to drink this and ask you to fetch me a few more rounds instead of throwing it in your face and smashing your mother and father buttons. Permanently." Punctuating this declaration by dumping the drink down her throat, she slammed the glass back down. "Now hurry up and get me those extra rounds. I want to hurry up and forget this night ever happened. Got it?"

* * *

"Well, that could have gone better," Ritsuko commented mildly about an hour later.

"True, but it could have gone a lot worse," Kaji returned, his usual smile a bit more strained than he cared to admit. "And considering the situation, I guess that's the best that we could have hoped for."

Giving a wry curl of her lip, Ritsuko nodded. "I suppose so. At least she didn't blow up in our faces," she decided. "As I recall, Misato mad and drunk is not a good combination."

"You don't have to remind me of that," Kaji informed her. "I haven't forgotten what happened at the Blue Swan café."

"Ugh. I wish _I _could," Ritsuko moaned, bringing her hand to her temple. "What a mess! And the whole class was stuck cleaning it up, too!" Pressing her lips together, she sighed and murmured, "I wonder if they ever fixed that one wall…?"

Snickering at this, Kaji shook his head and replied, "Dunno. All I know is that things went a lot better than we probably could have asked for."

Raising an eyebrow at this, Ritsuko cocked her head to the side and said, "Maybe so…but I would still feel better if Misato hadn't passed out halfway here!"

Truth be told, Kaji wasn't exactly thrilled about that part, either. There they were, all of them a bit sloshed and tipsy as they walked the streets of Tokyo-3, tired and maybe a bit down about how their celebration how finally soured, doing their best to make it back home in one piece. Unfortunately for them, Misato had gone out of her way to get herself drunk after their discussion regarding her recurring nightmare. Which was why, after a couple blocks of tottering about on her feet and even requiring a hand here and there to remain stable, Misato had finally toppled to the ground with a resounding thud, and had remained there despite their varied attempts to arouse her. Finally, Kaji had been forced to pick her up and carry the unconscious Major piggyback-style all the way to the subway terminal.

_It's times like these that I'm glad that I keep fit,_ Kaji thought as he navigated the steps with a modicum of difficulty. Taking them carefully and bracing himself against the wall, he was able to slowly make his way down to the terminal. Only to be brought up short when he heard a peculiar clatter. "Huh? What was…?"

"Hold on. One of her shoes just fell off," Ritsuko grumbled, pausing to glare at her friend in an accusing manner before bending down. Sitting down on the steps, the faux-blonde grumbled wearily as she puttered about. Frowning and wondering what was taking so long, Kaji soon got his answer when Ritsuko stood up again with both shoes in hand. "I figured I might as well take them both off," she explained somewhat snidely. "At least this way, we won't have to worry about them disappearing somewhere between here and her apartment."

"Heh. Good thinking," Kaji nodded approvingly. "I always knew you were more than just another pretty face."

"Well, someone around here has to have some common sense," Ritsuko grumbled good-naturedly as the two of them started down the stairs again. "And as far as I'm concerned, that leaves the both of you out!"

"Oh, now _that's _cold," Kaji muttered, deciding that further rebuttal would be a waste of energy and breath, and good shape or not, he felt that he needed to save as much of both as he could. And so he contented himself with plotting various witty comebacks to be made at a more appropriate time as the two of them came to stand at the side of the tracks, waiting wearily for the next train to come along to whisk them away from there.

Fortunately for the beleaguered travelers, they didn't have long to wait. Barely five minutes had passed before they heard the scheduled train roll up the tracks before finally coming to stop before them. Even more fortunately, when they boarded the train, they found it to be empty save for themselves and whomever was running it. "Huh," Kaji commented as he looked about the empty train car. "This city must be more empty than I thought."

"Either that, or we're the only ones stupid enough to be up this late," Ritsuko grumbled, eliciting a chuckle from Kaji. "Aw, damn. I can already tell I'm going to have the worst hangover of my entire life tomorrow morning."

"The price we pay for doing our duty," Kaji commented idly as he made his way over to a nearby row of seats. Moving as carefully as he was capable of, he gently eased Misato off his back and onto the seats. Once she was safely down, he turned and looked at her, her hair an untidy mop, her dress and jacket a rumpled mess, and looking like something that had just been dumped out of bed. _And yet she still looks beautiful,_ he thought wistfully before bending down next to her. With a few moments' effort, he pulled her jacket off of her shoulders before folding it up. Placing it down on the seats, he then shifted her about so that she lay more comfortably, and her head was resting easily on the makeshift pillow. "There. That should hold her until we get her home."

"I hope so," Ritsuko agreed. Then she cocked her head in the direction of the next car up the train. "C'mon, let's go over there for now."

Looking up in surprise, Kaji furrowed his brow as he tried to digest what was said. "What? You want to leave her here? Alone?"

"I don't see a problem. In case you haven't noticed, there's no one else here," Ritsuko pointed out, looking both ways up and down the train. Sure enough, there was no sign of any other commuters, and certainly no one to take advantage of the insensate female. "Besides, there's a few things I want to talk to you about, and I'd rather not take the chance of her waking up and hearing us talking about them."

"Oh," Kaji groaned, seeing where this was going. "I don't suppose there's any chance of putting this off until tomorrow morning?"

"Are you kidding? The way I feel right now, I'll be lucky if I can even _move_ tomorrow, let alone think intelligently," Ritsuko grumbled wearily. "C'mon. We'll be one car over, and that's it. What could possibly happen?" The unshaven man frowned at this, for it had been his experience that Murphy's Law could cause just about anything to happen, given the chance. But at the same time, he knew that the odds of something crazy happening now were fairly slim.

_Besides, Rits is right. We better discuss what we found out,_ Kaji thought ruefully. _We have to figure out what's going on with Katsuragi as soon as we can. Besides, I don't think the Commander is going to cut us any slack in the morning, just because we drunk ourselves sick in the line of duty._ Snorting as he tried to imagine the result of Gendo attempting this sort of thing himself, Kaji rose unsteadily to his feet. "Alright," he finally conceded before looking back at the woman he once played house with. "Don't you go anywhere, Katsuragi. We'll be back for you soon."

With that, Kaji followed Ritsuko into the next car. Not even realizing as they left Misato that her closed eyes were moving rapidly, feverishly…

* * *

_Ugh…damn, I should know better than to drink this much. Especially when I have to go to work tomorrow!_ Ritsuko thought woefully, massaging what was sure to be a full-blown hangover in the morning.

All too glad to sit down and take the pressure off her wearied feet, Ritsuko felt more than saw Kaji doing the same. "Well…now we know what the dream is about," she muttered beneath her breath. "What do you make of it?"

"I think I understand some of it. Like I said, I'm no psychologist, but that bit about…ghosts of the past, seeing the people that died in Second Impact?" Kaji began, his eyes narrowed in thought and showing no sign of the numerous drinks he'd imbibed in earlier. "Sounds like survivor's guilt to me."

"I agree," Ritsuko nodded. The faux-blonde had made a study of psychology in order to better understand how a person's individual personality and whatever issues they might have could impact their synch ability, which was a necessity in dealing with the pilots. "I understand that she had had to go through a lot of counseling to deal with it before coming to college. But what I don't understand is why it's manifesting now, and like _this_."

"You're guess is as good as mine," Kaji shrugged.

* * *

Once again, Misato was trapped in the nightmare that had haunted her for months. Again she found herself walking across the crimson water of what had once been Antarctica, seeing and listening to the people that were trapped in the lingering ice.

But she wasn't paying attention to them. The only thing she could really see or hear was the capsule that she was now approaching. The capsule that had allowed her to survive when everyone else had not, and was thrashing violently, sending small waves up as something hammered savagely at its walls. The noise and fury with which it fought to free itself far more intense than ever.

_Let me out,_ the thing demanded. _Let me out let me out let me out…!_

* * *

"And then there's the bit about that…thing in the capsule," Kaji intoned thoughtfully. "Do you think that could be related to Adam?"

Ritsuko considered this possibility before shaking her head. "No, that doesn't make sense. I mean, if that were the case, why would it be inside the capsule?" Giving Kaji a moment to digest this, the faux-blonde furrowed her brow in thought. "No…perhaps it has to do with her father. He died getting her into that capsule, remember?"

* * *

As Misato stood next to the capsule, she realized that something was horribly wrong.

The cruel green light that shown from within was far brighter than ever, pulsating like the beating of a heart. The determined thrashing of whatever was trapped inside of was far more ferocious than it had even been. And the voice of the thing inside was becoming louder and more hate-filled every time it repeated its incessant demand.

_Let me out! Let me out!_ the thing roared like a wild animal as it fought to free itself. There was a momentary pause in its struggling, and then it snarled savagely by another loud bang was heard. A bang that sent Misato jumping back a step as a large bulge appeared in the capsule's side…

* * *

"Eh, I thought of that myself, Ritsy, but that doesn't track, either," Kaji frowned. "I know Katsuragi has plenty of issues with her father – believe me, I _know _– but she was never afraid of him." His frown intensifying, he glanced over into the next car, where Misato was still sleeping. "Whatever this thing in her dreams is, she's scared of it. And if there's one thing I know about her, it's that she doesn't scare easy."

Ritsuko slowly nodded as she found herself agreeing with Kaji's analysis. "No arguments there," she finally intoned. "Well, all things considered, it's looking more and more like Jet Alone had more of an effect on Misato than I realized."

* * *

_Let me out! LET ME OUT!_

"No!" Misato screamed as further lumps appeared in the capsule's side. "No! I can't! I _won't!"_

_LET ME OUUUTT!_

* * *

"Yeah, but how?" Kaji inquired. "You said it yourself. There was no sign of any radioactive contamination, no injuries…nothing!"

"Well, perhaps it wasn't something as obvious," Ritsuko explained. "Perhaps the stress of the situation triggered some preexisting condition caused by Second Impact. Something that's been laying dormant all these years." Then she narrowed her eyes sharply, her wearied mind managing to come up with a few more ideas. "Maybe the pressure of being in a situation where it looked like she was about to die caused it." Kaji made a quizzical sound in his throat at this. "If it hadn't been for her father, Misato would have died in Second Impact. Now being in another situation where she thought she was about to die caused her nightmares." Shrugging somewhat, Ritsuko then guessed, "Hell, that might even explain this sensitivity of hers."

"Hmm…I dunno, Ritsy," Kaji frowned heavily. "If it were as simple as that, wouldn't she have started having these dreams or something like them a lot sooner? I mean, I heard about what happened when she went to bring Shinji to NERV, and the 3rd Angel was attacking."

"Possible, but as strange as it may seem, Misato wasn't actually in as much danger then as she was in Jet Alone," Ritsuko countered, warming to the notion. "With the 3rd Angel, she wasn't in close proximity to it for very long, whereas with Jet Alone, she was right in the center of a nuclear reactor that was about to go explode."

* * *

"No! Stop it!" Misato screamed in terror. Watching helplessly as the capsule continued to shake, bulging out from the many impacts it was suffered from the monster it contained.

_Let me out! LET ME OUT!_

"_No!"_ Misato cried out, unable to move. Unable to think of running from the capsule or trying to shove it away. All she could do was stand there and quake, holding up her hands as if she didn't know what to do with them. Shaking her head in slow denial of what was about to happen.

_LET ME OUUUUUTTTT!_ the thing screeched one more time as the capsule surrendered to the inevitable. With a sound like thunder crashing, the hatch tore off the survival capsule and was sent flying up into the air. A strangled whimper escaping Misato's lips, she watched the object go flying off into the horizon, and then looked back at the capsule itself. A deadly green haze flowing out of it as roars and snarls of triumph and release filled the air around her.

"No…" Misato gasped out, just before something exploded from the haze.

It was a hand. A monstrous green hand that grabbed her by the head, stifling the resulting scream…

* * *

As Misato's eyes flew open and she jolted upright, her ears were filled with the sound of her own haggard breathing, as well as the thunderous beating of her heart. On one level, she was vaguely aware that she had had another nightmare, but she couldn't really focus on it. She couldn't really think at all; all she could do was act on automatic pilot as she struggled to climb to her feet.

Stepping away from the bench she'd been laying on, still heaving ragged gasps, she looked about wildly at the subway car she was in. But she didn't recognize it as such; she couldn't make sense of anything, or remember how she even got there. Nothing made any sense at all as she wrapped her arms about her frame, feeling her sweat-soaked dress, her trembling, feverish skin.

Her mouth opening and closing, no sound coming out of it, Misato glanced this way and that, and very nearly screamed when she saw something looking at her. Something horrible and monstrous and powerful. Something that glared at her with animalistic rage. Something so terrifying that it took several moments for her overwhelmed mind to process what it was that she seeing.

Her reflection. Nothing more than her reflection in the far window.

But at the same time…it was something else altogether.

The features of the woman she saw were twisted with primal fear and rage, her hair hung in tangled lumps. Her fingers were arched and tensed like claws, and her chest was heaving rapidly. But as terrible as these things were, they were nothing compared to the eyes. Eyes that glowed with the same hideous green light that had shined from the survival capsule. Eyes that were twisted with inhuman savagery and anger.

This wasn't a woman she was looking at; it was something wild and savage. A monstrosity given human form.

Her mouth flew open, allowing a tiny shriek to escape her lips as Misato looked wildly about, seeking a path of escape. When she looked towards the right, she spotted something in the next car over. Two people sitting next to each other, apparently unaware of her. Ritsuko and Kaji.

Misato's first impulse was to go to them, to seek shelter and comfort from the beast confronting her. But even as she thought this, her own jumbled mind rebuked her. She couldn't go to her friends. She couldn't afford to be anywhere near them. She didn't know how or why she knew this, nor was she capable of caring at that moment. All she knew was that she had to get away, to run as far and fast from them as she could. And so, her conscious mind barely functional, acting on pure instinct alone, she turned in the opposite direction and ran.

Her bare feet pounding on the metal floor, eliciting little or no sound, Misato ran as fast as she could. And the monster followed. She could see it in every window, chasing her, looming at her. More twisted and savage and horrifying every time she caught a glimpse of it.

She came to the end of the train car, and was so caught up in her terror that she slammed into the door and very nearly came crashing down to the floor. But she caught hold of the door handle just in time, and used it to pull her back up to her feet. Even as she heard the monster growling wrathfully in her ears.

It was the same voice, Misato knew. The same terrible voice as the monster from her dreams.

Somehow, it had escaped the capsule. Escaped her nightmares. And was now chasing her.

More terrified than ever, Misato forced the door open and began running again. But it was harder now; her body wasn't functioning right. Her balance, her sight, her coordination, everything was off. She couldn't stay on her own feet, and instead fell down against one of the rows of seats, barely catching herself on one of the armrests.

_Free! Free! _the monster roared in triumph. _Free to crush! Free to SMASH!_

Gasping in terror, Misato struggled to get back to her feet, to keep running. Her fevered brain a confused jumble of emotions, devoid of coherent thought. And as a result, her conscious mind was blissfully unaware of what was happening to her.

The same green light she had seen in the creature's eyes was now rushing through her blood, and as it spread throughout her body, it began to shift and change. Her scrabbling feet swelled and grew, the bones crunching and expanding, and were soon followed by the muscles. Her arms and hands were undergoing a similar change; her biceps bulged into mountains of coiled steel as she took firmer hold of the seat, crushing the top of it as she forced herself back up.

As Misato's body continued to throb and grow, the dress that had easily shown off her every curve became increasingly stressed by the changes she was undergoing. Where it had once run down to her thighs, the bottom had ridden up until it was barely concealing her shapely buttocks, and was growing ever tighter about them. Then a distinct snapping sound was heard as her panties fell away, having fallen victim to their owner's growth. As she struggled to keep moving forward, her swelling hips and thighs strained against the flimsy fabric, causing it to burst apart along the seams, one stitch popping after another.

Along Misato's shoulders and beneath her arms, more seams were failing as her arms grew ever larger and stronger. The collar of her dress was constricting her throat, which was now lined with coiled sinew. Throwing her head to the side, she caused the collar to tear almost completely free of the rest of the embattled garment. As she breathed ever more deeply, it caused two increasingly huge mounds to press even harder against the simple fabric constraints that were struggling to hold them back. As she staggered somewhat, her sense of balance hampered by her quickening transformation, she fell against a row of seats, smashing them as she caught herself and continued forward. Snarling her annoyance, she stood up sharply, thrusting her mountainous chest forward and snapping her bra. She growled again, allowing the two mountains of flesh to fill the dress to capacity and complete overwhelm it. The dress tore right down the center from the tattered collar down towards the region of her abdomen, allowing her massive breasts to rise up into the air.

As her dress continued to deteriorate, other changes became visible in Misato's body. Her smooth abdomen pulsated and grew, transforming into a steely six-pack of muscle, and continued to grow hard and larger, until it became an even more impressive twenty-four-pack. Her purple hair became longer and wilder, and her skin began to darken. First it looked as if she was developing a slight tan, but the color change became more drastic as her flesh took on a distinctive greenish hue. It spread across the entirety of her body, covering every inch of her except for a jagged patch of deathly pale skin beneath her right breast. But a moment later, the green spilled into the massive scar, and obliterated it completely.

A final burst of growth ripped through Misato's body, sending the tattered remains of her dress falling to the floor, with the only thing surviving it being her crucifix pendant. It hung tightly about her neck, but there was still enough slack in its string that there was no danger of it snapping. But Misato didn't notice this; her mind was already gone, buried in the darkness of her subconscious. Leaving only the creature she had dreaded for so long to suck in a deep breath, reveling in its newfound freedom, and its triumph over her. Roaring its victory, it arched its back and spread its arms out to the side before bringing its fists together and smashed down them upon the floor.

* * *

"I guess you're right about that," Kaji was forced to admit. "Even if she'd run full out, there's no way she could have gotten out before the reactor went blooey."

"Precisely. That, coupled with her damaged helmet, would only have added to the image of an imminent death," Ritsuko continued. "And when you factor in the danger to Atsugi City, then…"

Ritsuko was cut off by a loud, thunderous blast of sound, the force of which caused her to go rigid and sent her hands flying to her ears. Paling with shock, she jumped up and instinctively looked towards Kaji, and found herself met with a face that was as lambasted with astonished confusion as hers was. "What the -?" the unshaven man began as they turned some more. "What in the -?"

Kaji never got the chance to finish his question, because even as the two of them were turning, the train was hit by a hammer blow from above. The car they were in and the next one or two behind it were sent flying up off the tracks, separating the train from the third rail and causing the lights to go dark. The two of them were sent flying into the air, and were momentarily left in freefall before gravity reclaimed its hold on both them and the train, both of which came crashing down.

Stunned and the air driven from their lungs, the two of them lay helpless on the floor when the train was subjected to another brutal blow, this time from the side. The entire length of the train was sent skewing closer to the wall, with every window on one side shattering. Instinctively shielding their faces from the sudden rain of broken glass, Ritsuko and Kaji continued to lie perfectly still, struck numb this unforeseen assault. Able only to wait and listen as another furious roar was heard, and was quickly followed by a horrendous shriek…like metal ripping apart.

Wincing in pain at the two horrendous sounds, Ritsuko looked up a bit, aware that Kaji was doing the same. "Wh-what…?" she gasped out as she looked slack-jawed in the direction of the shocks and noises. The train's lights were without power, leaving them with only the lights of the tunnel to see by. Just enough to let them make out each other, as well as their immediate surroundings. "Wh-what's happening? What -?"

The doctor was caught off by another massive booming, this one like stone being shattered. This was followed by a sound almost like that of a landslide, only far louder and more intense. Moments later, clouds of dust billowed up around the train and rushed up the sides of it, spilling in through the broken windows. As the two of them were left choking on the clouds of debris, Kaji waved as much of it aside as he could before starting forward. "Ka -!" Ritsuko started, only to be interrupted by a fit of coughing. Grabbing hold of the collar of her lab coat, she raised it up to her mouth and nose. "Kaji, what are you -?"

"Katsuragi!" Kaji cried out in response as he entered the next car. Realizing what he was talking about and gasping as that meaning hit her like a physical blow, Ritsuko darted after him.

_Oh, god, please let her be okay, please let her be okay…!_ Ritsuko thought feverishly, cursing herself for her stupidity in leaving her best friend there. For ever once thinking that it would be okay to leave her alone for even a moment. Uncertain and scared out of her wits, she looked towards the bench where they had left the purple-haired woman…only for her eyes to bulge out when she saw nothing there. Nothing but her flight jacket, which Kaji was picking up off the floor.

Gasping at the sight of the familiar garment, Ritsuko looked up at Kaji, a look he met with his own. "Wh-what's going on? Where is she?"

Shaking his head in obvious confusion, Kaji looked up and down the train. "She couldn't have passed us without our noticing, so," he sounded out before looking down towards the next car, "she must've gone that way."

This statement triggered a flood of questions in Ritsuko. She wanted to ask why Misato would have left her jacket, or where she had gone or why she had gone anywhere without seeking them out. But at the moment, her own curiosity was unimportant. All that mattered to her was her friend's life and safety. So without any hesitation, Ritsuko started towards the other end of the car, with Kaji a short distance behind. The two of them soon found the door to the next car already open, and went in it…only to stop, dumbstruck with shock with what felt like the umpteenth time that day.

The train car they had just entered had been completely destroyed. There was simply no other way to describe it. The seats and windows had been demolished, and the car itself had been split apart, with the other half of it a good fifty feet from where they stood. "Oh, my god…" Ritsuko breathed despite herself. "What…did this? Where's Misato?"

"I don't know, Ritsuko," Kaji admitted grimly. "But I can tell you this much; whatever it was that did this is long gone." Before she could ask how he could possibly know this, Ritsuko turned and noticed that her friend was looking off to the side. And a moment later, she saw what he was looking at; a large pile of masonry and earth that lay nearby, blocking half of the tunnel. And just above it, a tremendous hole had been ripped in the roof of the subway.

"Good god," Ritsuko breathed as she stepped closer to the immense hole. Close enough to be able to see the light of the city filtering down upon them. To be able to hear another bestial roar echoing down to them.

For the longest time, Ritsuko just stood there, fearfully marveling at the impossible destruction that had been wreaked. Unable to move or even think until she heard Kaji flip open his cell phone. "I better call Section 2, let them know that we need help here," he said by way of explanation. Then he looked grimly at the remainder of the train, and added, "And that they better send a search and rescue team as well."

"I'm afraid we're going to need a lot more than that, Kaji," Ritsuko breathed fearfully as another roar was heard in the distance. "A _lot _more."

* * *

Sitting bolt upright in her bed, Hikari's eyes went wide as she came to full awareness, awake before she even realized what was happening. She looked about her tiny room, her heart beating like a runaway train.

_What is it? What's going on?_ she silently demanded as she looked about. When she didn't see anything unusual, she let out a low sigh and brushed an errant strand of hair out of her face. _Ugh…I don't believe this. And I'd just gotten to sleep, too._ Heaving a deep breath, she frowned as she looked over a small, nearby table. _What time is it, anyway? I -?_

Before she could complete this thought, Hikari became aware of something else. A sensation of impending danger, familiar and strange to her all at the same time. "What the…?" she muttered aloud as she got to her feet. Making her way over to the window, she slid it open and stuck her head out into the night air, scanning the cityscape around her.

While she searched with her eyes, a sound reached her ears. A monstrous sound of rumbling thunder, twisted into a horrible, savage roar. Goosebumps appearing from her flesh, Hikari looked in the direction the sound had come from, and shuddered when it repeated itself.

_What…what's going on?_ Hikari thought nervously.

* * *

Elsewhere in Tokyo-3, in the section that had once been known as Hakone, Rei Ayanami was awakened by a similar sensation of dread. And like Hikari, she was prompted to go to her window, to try and see if she could spot the source of the dread sensation.

As Rei stood at one of her windows, peering through the perpetually filthy glass at the rundown buildings that surrounded her own apartment, she watched and listened. Disregarding the distant sounds of people getting drunk, of fighting and possibly killing themselves. All the things that she had long since learned to block out as she searched for the one thing that had roused her from her slumber.

After several seconds had passed, a massive noise shook the air around her, even causing the structure of her apartment to tremble somewhat. It was a voice, twisted with savage rage and hatred. A voice that was equal parts human and monster.

_But what? What could be making it?_ Rei wondered distantly. _It is not an Angel, so what -? _Before she could complete this thought, the albino heard something else. Something very distant. Swiveling her gaze, she felt her eyes widen as she realized what had just happened.

A large building, about a block or two distant from where she was, was collapsing. Falling over as if one or more of the supports on one side had just been destroyed. As Rei watched the towering structure disintegrate into a shower of broken concrete and rusted metal, she frowned intently, and leaned closer to the filth-streaked glass.

At first, she thought it might have been an optical illusion of some sort, caused by the clouds billowing up from the building's destruction. But as she continued to watch, Rei realized that there was indeed something down there, running from the base of the doomed building. And while she couldn't see it at all clearly, she could make out enough detail to be able to tell that it was human-shaped, but too large and powerfully built to be anything human.

Continuing to stand at her window, Rei watched the creature continue on its course, racing through the streets, moving faster and faster until it jumped up into the sky. Her mouth popping open somewhat, she followed the creature's leap as it flew up and out of sight. Bounding up and over the buildings like it had been nothing.

As soon as the creature was out of sight, Rei considered what to do next. Clearly, whatever that creature had been, it was dangerous. The fact that it had apparently destroyed an entire building was proof enough of that. And she also knew that allowing such a beast free reign in Tokyo-3 would be a very bad idea. Therefore, she did the only thing she could do. She picked up her telephone, and contacted Section 2.

After a single ring, someone picked up on the other end. "This is Special Agent Misawa speaking. Who is this?"

"Pilot Ayanami," she answered simply. Ignoring the hushed silence that was heard on the other end of the line, Rei continued to focus on the world beyond her window. Watching as a huge plume of smoke billowed up from beyond the nearby buildings. "There is a situation near my apartment. Something destroyed one of the buildings here, and seems to be moving to the southwest."

"Aw, damn! You mean it's over _there?_ _Already?"_ Agent Misawa cried out in dismay. Picking up on these words but not saying anything in response, Rei frowned and listened as the Section 2 man cursed beneath his breath before ordering, "Alright! Just stay there, 1st Child! I'm routing a team to pick you up and bring you to Headquarters! Understood?"

"Yes," Rei answered simply. She listened a few moments longer as she was given additional instructions, and then set the phone back down, already analyzing what she had heard. _NERV was already aware of this creature,_ she thought, unsurprised by this. _In that case, it must not be the 10th Angel._

Rei didn't waste time conjecturing what the creature was or was not. Nor did she bother wondering what NERV's response to this creature would eventually be. Instead, she went to her closet and began dressing herself. Content that someone would tell her what to do when the time was right.

* * *

_I don't have a clue what to do now!_ Ritsuko moaned inwardly as she sat within one of the examination rooms of NERV Medical. Barely aware of the nurse who was finishing up her impromptu examination and giving her a clean bill of health.

Less than an hour ago, Ritsuko and Kaji had been found by Section 2, and with a skill and precision she would not have attributed to NERV's Keystone Kops, retrieved them and the train engineer from the shattered subway. While the engineer was made to wait for an ambulance, which he protested with a volley of curses that would make an Angel wince, the two members of NERV were promptly escorted back to the safety of the Geofront, where they received examinations, as well as treatment for whatever bumps and bruises they had acquired over the course of their misadventure.

Sighing heavily as she was finally allowed to escape the examination room, Ritsuko barely had a moment to catch her breath before she noticed someone approaching her. "Sempai!" Maya called out, very nearly sending the overwrought doctor jumping out of her skin. "Oh, my gosh! Are you alright?"

"M-Maya?" Ritsuko got out, raising an eyebrow at her understudy. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Sub Commander Fuyutsuki. He's ordered the main bridge crew to report," Maya explained tersely. "Anyway, when I got here, I heard that you'd been hurt, so…"

Despite everything that had happened that night, Ritsuko managed a tiny smile for the younger woman. "Thanks, Maya," she murmured, genuinely touched by the concern shown for her. Then she set this emotion aside, and focused on more immediate concerns. "Did he tell you why you were being called in?"

Nodding, Maya answered, "He said that there's some kind of…creature loose in Tokyo-3. That it had attacked the subway, and…" Trailing off, the brunette frowned in deep concern. "He wanted to be ready to mobilize the Evas. In case of the worst."

"I see," Ritsuko answered grimly, not liking this in the least. "Then the Children have been called in?"

Maya nodded again. "Shinji and Asuka are with Kaji and Fuyutsuki. And he's ordered Rei to get into her plug suit and be ready for launch."

Exhaling sharply, Ritsuko frowned in thought, recalling the damage she had seen caused by the unknown creature. If Fuyutsuki felt that it might necessary to send out the Evas, then the situation had to be far worse than she had realized. "We better get going, then."

"Right," Maya agreed. "I should warn you, though, Fuyutsuki was asking Kaji about what happened down there. And he didn't seem very happy about the answers he _wasn't _getting!"

Ritsuko didn't doubt this for a moment. "In that case, he isn't going to be any happier with me," she decided with a distinct frown. "Oh, well…lead the way, then." As Maya nodded sharply, the doctor straightened herself out and allowed herself to be guided towards her impromptu meeting.

Doing her best to look businesslike and alert, despite the numerous bandages marking her form, as well as her ruined stockings, Ritsuko strode just behind her younger friend, until at last the two of them arrived at the main waiting room of NERV Medical. True to Maya's word, Shinji, Asuka, and Kaji were already present, with the German girl cuddling up to the unshaven man and practically oozing charm and concern for him. While Kaji attempted unsuccessfully to dissuade her, Shinji was standing there, dark shadows of concern enveloping his features, while Fuyutsuki stood nearby, the perfect picture of command and composure. His eyes narrowing in a hawk-like fashion when he became aware of the doctor's presence.

"Dr. Akagi. It's good to see that you're up and about," Fuyutsuki spoke tersely.

"Thank you, sir," Ritsuko answered. Then she frowned and asked the question that had been bothering her for some time now. "Sir, has Section 2 been able to find Misato?"

"Unfortunately, no," Fuyutsuki responded, his features growing taut. "They've searched the entirety of the train, as well as much of the subway tunnel. So far, nothing."

Ritsuko didn't like the sound of that. And judging by the look on his face, neither did Shinji. "Sir…" he began, drawing both their attentions upon his forlorn face. "Do you…think that whatever attacked the train…that it…?"

"Right now, we don't have enough information to make any assumptions, one way or the other," Fuyutsuki responded before Shinji could give voice to whatever dread possibilities his mind was conjuring up. "However, until we learn otherwise, we will act under the assumption that Major Katsuragi is alive, and awaiting rescue."

It was obvious to anyone that Shinji found no comfort in this assurance, something that Kaji quickly picked up on. "Hey, I wouldn't worry too much, Shinji," he stated, displaying none of the grimness he had shown earlier. "I've known Katsuragi for a while now, and if there's anything I've learned about her, it's that she's a survivor."

A look of annoyance flashed across Asuka's face at this, but then she looked at Shinji and managed a knowing smile. "Yeah, Third. Besides, if anything _had _happened to her, they'd have already found her -!" The German immediately broke as she realized what she was about to say, her face fell. "Uhh…well, what I meant was that there'd be…" she tried again, only to growl in disgust as she gave it up as a bad job. Folding her arms across her chest, she looked away and scowled heavily. "Look, they'll find her, okay?"

Heaving a weary sigh of one already consigning himself to impending doom, Shinji muttered, "Yeah…they'll find her."

Pressing her lips together, Ritsuko found that she honestly couldn't blame the 3rd Child for his morbid thoughts. She knew from his file alone that life had not been good to him, and had taught him to expect the worse in any given situation. _Besides…whatever that thing was…_ she thought, feeling a chill run through her as she thought back to that moment on the train, to when she had heard that awful roar. A roar that seemed to be nothing more than the manifestation of all the primal rage and fury that the world had ever known. Then she pictured Misato, asleep and helpless and alone with whatever monstrosity could give voice to such savagery…

Even as her imagination began to conjure up images of Misato being ravaged by whatever abomination had appeared that night, another part of Ritsuko took over and banished those awful images. The part of her that was scientist, that focused on facts and figures, ratios and results. That part of her caused her to look towards Fuyutsuki and asked, "Sub Commander…what about the creature that attacked us? Have there been any more sightings?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Fuyutsuki muttered unhappily. "So far, it has attacked seven different parts of the city – at least, that we know of. And we've already received word that there are several eyewitnesses who claim to have seen the creature." Then the old professor frowned and added, "Unfortunately, no one seems to have gotten a very good look at it so far. Unless…"

Sensing the unspoken question in these words, Ritsuko shook her head. "I'm afraid I didn't see it either, sir," she informed, well aware of how such a failure made her look. "I take it that everyone who saw the thing were too busy running away to get a good look at it?"

"Everyone…save for one." These words immediately resulted in everyone locking their eyes on Fuyutsuki. "Apparently, the 1st Child sighted the creature from her apartment."

"What? Wondergirl saw the thing?" Asuka demanded, seemingly annoyed by this development.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, due to the distance and lack of light, she couldn't get a very good look at it," Fuyutsuki admitted sourly. He then went on to describe the exact circumstances of the sighting, including the fact that it had single-handedly demolished an entire skyscraper. "So far, there's nothing to indicate that this creature is an Angel, but the fact remains that it is obviously powerful, and extremely dangerous."

As these words settled down upon them like a cloud of doom, they were startled from their individual thoughts by the sound of a cell phone. Without preamble, Fuyutsuki reached into his coat and brought out his phone. "Fuyutsuki here." Watching the Sub Commander out of the corner of her eyes, Ritsuko was aware of the stern expression he wore. And expression that soon shifted to surprise, and finally, pleasure. "They _did?_ She's _where?"_ Their ears pricking at the mentioning of a 'she', the others looked up and watched in anticipation as the old professor chuckled wanly. "I see. Very well, I'll send someone to pick her right away." Clicking his phone off, Fuyutsuki lowered to give a wry smile at his impromptu audience. "That was Section 2. It seems that the Major has been located."

"Really?" Shinji cried out, suddenly beaming with hope.

"She has?" Asuka demanded.

"Is she alright?" Maya wondered.

"Was she hurt?" Kaji asked worriedly.

"Where is she?" Ritsuko inquired.

* * *

"Oh, ha ha. Yuck it up, why don't you?" Misato demanded grumpily, her arms folded before her as she sat back and looked at her audience. The scowl on her face a result of her presently being locked up in a prison cell, as well as the fact that three out of four of her friends were laughing like idiots over her current status, with only Shinji smiling his relief upon seeing her alive and well.

'I…I'm sorry, Misato! Really!" Ritsuko giggled, caught between relief at seeing her friend alive and well, and amusement at her present predicament. "But…I have to be honest…I always figured you'd wind up here someday!"

"I'll say. Especially with her traffic record," chimed in the police officer who was standing next to Ritsuko. While veins were bulging from Misato's forehead, the doctor turned to the officer, who smiled boyishly for her. "Anyway, it's like we told you, Dr. Akagi. We were on patrol, checking out a supermarket that got sacked by that…that…well, whatever-it-was…and then we found your friend here curled up in an alley and out like a light." The officer averted his eyes somewhat, his smile becoming rather sheepish as he continued. "And…well, the only thing she had one was that pendant of hers, so we took her prints. And when we found out that she was with NERV…"

"Yeah, we get the idea," Asuka smirked before turning back to look at Misato, as well as the cheap robe she was wearing. "Heh. I never figured you for the type to go around streaking, but hey, if that's how you get your kicks…!"

"Grrr! Asuka, are you _trying_ to piss me off?" Misato demanded, her eyes narrowing with lethal intensity. "Because I am warning you right here and now that you do _not _want to piss me off!"

While Asuka responded to this dire threat by chortling even more, Shinji was focusing on the source of the threat. "So, Misato…do you have any idea what happened to you? Or how you got to that alley, or…?"

The concerned look worn by her charge instantly defused Misato's ire. "I don't have clue," she admitted, holding her up hands before letting them flop down to her sides. "The last thing I remember, we had left the bar and were heading back to the subway." Then she gave the officer a sideways glance that would do a basilisk proud. "The next thing I know, I'm lying in some back alley with him and his buddy shining flashlights in my face, asking what happened to my clothes!"

Taking a moment to snicker at her annoyance, Kaji glanced over at the officer. "Well, I know that her jacket and her shoes are currently sitting in Ritsy's back seat," he joked casually. Then he sobered somewhat and told Misato, "And as for your dress…"

"My dress?" Misato began, clearly not liking the hesitation in the unshaven man's voice. "What about my dress?"

"It's…a long story," Ritsuko broke in, deciding that then and now were not the best time for an interrogation. "Right now, let's just get you to NERV Medical. We can have you checked up, and -!"

"Forget it, Ritsuko! The only place I'm interested in going right now is _home!"_ Misato declared in her best voice of doom. "This day has officially become one of the worst days of my entire life! And all I want to do is go to my apartment, have a nice, long, hot bath, go to bed, and try to forget that it ever happened! Got it?"

Ritsuko opened her mouth to protest this, to make it clear that they needed to get Misato checked up. After all, the fact that she had been found naked suggested all kinds of nasty things to the doctor, especially given the kind of people that populated Tokyo-3's seedier regions. But even as she considered all the possible arguments she could use to sway her friend, she processed the glare Misato had leveled her, and realized that logic would be a waste of time. _Not that it's _ever_ much use with her,_ Ritsuko admitted with a roll of her eyes. _Aw, damn, why does she have to be so stubborn…?_

While Ritsuko was considering this, Shinji shot the officer a hopeful look. "Uh…she _can _come home, can't she?" he asked nervously, as if he were unwilling to tempt fate. "That is…there's nothing wrong with her, is there?"

"Not that we can tell," the officer admitted. "I mean, she flunked the breathalyzer test, but that ain't a crime so long as she isn't driving. And there's no sign that she was attacked or anything like that, so…sure. She can go anywhere she wants." Then he gave her a mocking look and added, "But you can't keep the robe. You do know that, right?"

"Ugh! Who'd _want _to, anyway?" Misato snarled, her cheeks puffing out as she looked away.

Suppressing the urge to chuckle over the reputation that Misato had garnered with the police, Ritsuko smiled reassuringly at her friend. "Don't worry, we stopped by your place, and I got you some new clothes." When Misato looked up at this, the faux-blonde frowned pensively before asking, "Now, are you _sure _I can't convince you to stop by NERV Medical? At least for a quick checkup?"

"No, you can't. And if you ask me that again, _you're _the one who'll need to have a checkup. Got that?" Snorting loudly, Misato got to her feet and glared dangerously at the doctor. "Dammit, Rits! Okay, so this isn't exactly a shining moment in my life! But why is everybody giving me such a hard time about it? It's not like it's _my _fault!"

"It isn't about you, Misato," Ritsuko informed, wishing she could take satisfaction in the way that her friend's annoyance fell flat. "A lot of stuff's been happening in the city lately, and it hasn't been good."

"Boy, _I'll _say!" the officer chimed in. "Man, it's bad enough having to clear out the looters we get after the Angels show up! But with the mess _this _thing made -!"

"Angels? Thing?" Misato broke in, pouncing on the words like a tiger did on its prey. Marching up to the prison bars, she gripped them with such intensity that Ritsuko thought that they might well snap. "Ritsuko, what happened? Did an Angel attack, or -?"

"No, no! Nothing like that! It's…" It was then words failed Ritsuko. She was tired, she was out of it, she was operating on virtually zero sleep, and the booze was catching up to her in a very serious way. "We'll explain on the way home. I promise. Okay?"

Giving her look that would sour milk chocolate, Misato grumbled a few times before saying, "Okay, fine. But this better be one hell of a story, Rits!"

"Trust me, it is," Ritsuko muttered as the officer moved to unlock the cell. Well aware that it was a story that she only knew bits and pieces of. A story she had the bad feeling would get much worse before it finally got better…

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, what can I say? When Ritsuko's right, she's right! Please, read and review! And check out my other stories, if you like!

Mike, in an earlier review, you said that the Hulk's powers would be about to the last thing you would have given Misato. Just out of curiosity, what would have been your first choice?

riderkid98, I honestly had never heard of EvaHulk before I started my story, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised that someone else had come up with the idea. Still, thanks for the compliments!

Jess D, I agree with you. Asuka is a permanent member of my Bad List, and Shinji deserves way better than the Red Devil (Even though I'm doing an Asuka/Shinji pairing for the Superwomen of Eva series. Still, I will give her a major personality overhaul in the process!) As for Third Impact…well, let's wait and see, shall we?

One more thing: I'm not planning on making Misato an exact duplicate of the Hulk. Her origin is somewhat different from his, and so her powers will be slightly different as well. Just so you all know.

And now that that's done, it's omake time!

Omake

A final burst of growth ripped through Misato's body, sending the tattered remains of her dress falling to the floor, with the only thing surviving it being her crucifix pendant. It hung tightly about her neck, but there was still enough slack in its string that there was no danger of it snapping. But Misato didn't notice this; her mind was already gone, buried in the darkness of her subconscious. Leaving only the creature she had dreaded for so long to suck in a deep breath, reveling in its newfound freedom, and it's her triumph over her. Roaring its victory, it arched its back and spread its arms out to the side, and…

"Oh, man…" came a voice from seeming out of nowhere. "This is like…wow!"

Stopping in place, the green beast frowned and looked about for the source of the voice. Her wrathful expression turning to one of teasing mischief. "Well, hello there!" she cooed as she stood up straighter, placing her hands to her hips. "I take it all you boys out there are enjoying my very first hulk-out?" A chorus of various affirmatives, as well as a wolf-whistle and other sounds of approval was her immediate answer. "Yeah, I figured as much. And what about the rest of you?" Leaning forward and smiling deviously, the mega-muscle Amazon scrutinized other members of her audience. "Yes, I can see you there, acting all shy and nervous."

A horde of 'uh, wells,' 'ohh…that is,' and other stalls and nervous noises were heard from a multitude of other readers. "Aw, you don't have to be ashamed of yourselves! After all, I'm rather enjoying the attention…not to mention this brand-new body of mine!" Then she grinned boisterously before arching her back, allowing her monumental breasts to dance provocatively. "And I just _know_ you are, too!"

"Uh…" came another voice, this one from off to the side. Looking about, the emerald behemoth saw Ritsuko standing there, arching an eyebrow at her. "Misato – She-Hulk – uh, whichever you are now – what do you think you're doing?"

"What's it look like, Rits? I'm working the audience!" she grinned deviously even as she swung about to give said audience a magnificent view of her shapely buttocks. "Oh, yeah! I think I'm going to enjoy these powers!"

"Of course you will," Ritsuko groaned even as several readers passed out with nosebleeds. "And I thought you were impossible before…?"


	4. A Secret Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 4: A Secret Revealed

As Shinji worked in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the occupants of the Katsuragi apartment, he found himself occasionally darting glances in the general direction of Misato's bedroom. Caught between wondering when she'd finally wake up, and grateful that she was sleeping soundly that morning.

_Especially after what happened last night,_ Shinji thought, memories of the previous evening dimming the tiny smile he wore. Of the fear he had known when he was certain that something horrific had happened to Misato, and that she would never come back home. Ever. _I…I hadn't been so afraid since Jet Alone…I…_

"Morning, Third," came Asuka's voice, breaking him away from his thoughts. Looking away from the stove, he saw the German girl approach, looking like she hadn't slept half the night. Which was probably a fairly accurate assessment, all things considered. "What exactly is that you're making?"

"Soup and rice," Shinji responded without a thought to the matter as he continued his culinary preparations. "I also found some good pickles and fish to go with…"

"Aw, _Gott,_ I don't believe this…!" Asuka grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Soup and fish for _breakfast?_ What is it with Japanese cooking, anyway?"

"What's wrong with fish and soup?" Shinji found himself wondering, only to realize too late that he had asked this aloud.

"Oh, nothing! For _dinner_, that is!" While Shinji was wincing, wishing there was some way of taking back the past thirty seconds, Asuka was shaking her head and looking up, as if wondering where he had been hiding when they had passing out the brains. "Honestly! What's wrong with waffles, or omelets, or pancakes? Hell, even plain old _cereal _would be better!"

"Uh…" Shinji tried to begin. He knew he had to say something, but he hadn't the faintest idea of how exactly to respond to this challenge.

"For that matter, what made you decide to cook this stuff, anyway?" Asuka went on, oblivious to Shinji's failed attempt at speech. "Don't you usually have toast or something like that?"

This more direct question succeeded in spurring Shinji's mouth into action, and fortunately enough, he was able to push intelligent words out of it. "Well, with everything Misato went through last night, I thought I'd whip up something special for her, that's all." Asuka spent a moment processing this explanation, and then her glare diminished somewhat. Deciding that he could use a little more breathing room, the 3rd Child smiled and added, "If you like, I could make an omelet or something like that for you."

Asuka continued to stand there, a low, growling sound reverberating in her throat, until at last she snorted and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Ehh, forget it. I'm not in the mood for eggs right now, anyway." Letting out a tiny sigh of relief as the German turned away, Shinji watched as she made her way over to the bread box. "At least Misato didn't wake us up with her screaming again. With everything that happened last night, I was sure that -!"

_"Aaaaaauuuuggghhh!"_ a familiar voice cried out. Sending both Children jumping up a couple inches. A few seconds after they had landed, the two of them looked towards the source of the scream, at which a pair of devil horns sprouted from Asuka's hair.

"Grrrrrr…!" Asuka gritted, a vein bulging from her forehead. "Dammit! I should have known better than to -!"

"_Augh! I'm late!"_ came another, less bloodcurdling scream. It was soon followed by the sound of frenzied activity, as if there was a stampede occurring in Misato's bedroom. _"I'm late! Oh, god, I can't believe how late I am!"_

While Shinji was realizing that the purple-haired woman's screams had nothing to do with nightmares, Asuka was growling deep in her throat. Without preamble, she stomped her way towards Misato's bedroom, with the 3rd Child a short distance behind. Upon reaching the door, the redhead flung it open with a bang, revealing their guardian as she ran about her room clad in her usual tank-top and cutoff shorts. Her eyes were wide with shock as she darted this way and that, gathering up bits and pieces of clothing that were lying about the floor. The two Children stood there for a time, uncertain what to do, until at last Asuka placed her hand to her head and asked, "Uh…and just what are you doing…?"

"I overslept!" Misato shrilled as she continued to run about, apparently attempting to be in as many places at once as possible. "I can't believe how late I'm going to be! I'm going to be fired for sure!"

_Oh. So that's it,_ Shinji thought, heaving a deep sigh of relief. _That's a relief! She must've forgotten that -!_

"Uh, _hello?"_ Asuka broke in, more annoyed than relieved. "What are you talking about? You don't have to go to work today, remember?" The German's words brought Misato to a halt so fast that Shinji thought for a moment that he heard tires squealing. Looking up sharply, the purple-haired woman stared blankly at her young charges, her mouth and eyes hanging open with such blatant confusion that it would probably have been funny under different circumstances.

As Misato continued to stand there, a strange noise echoing in her throat and clearly not awake enough or recovered enough from the previous night to know what they were talking about, Shinji cocked his head to the side and explained, "Uh, remember? When we got back last night, and Ritsuko called the Sub Commander? You talked to him, and he gave you the next few days off. You know…to recover from everything?"

"That's right. And he even gave them to you with _pay_," Asuka smiled in a superior fashion as she savored the moment. "So relax! You don't have to do anything but lounge around here until this Tuesday."

Again, Misato blinked her eyes a few times, but this time Shinji thought he detected the sound of her thinkworks finally revving into action. "Uh…" she got out. Then realization exploded across her face, sending her to stand up straight and smack herself on the forehead. "Oh, that's right! I remember now!" Shaking her head in dismay, the Major then looked at her charges with an expression of sheepish dismay. "I'm sorry, you two. I guess I'm more out of it than I thought."

"That's okay," Shinji assured her. "I mean, you _did _have a rough night last night, what with everything that happened."

Heaving a deep breath, Misato let her head roll to the side. "Yeah, I guess," she finally admitted. Her lips pressing together, she frowned and added, "But…I still don't remember…._anything _really happening. I…"

"Can't say I'm surprised. Considering the fact that Kaji had to _carry_ you to the subway after you were done pickling your liver!" Smirking in triumph as her snipe hit the mark and sent a vein bulging from Misato's head, Asuka turned to leave. "Anyway, the Third's got breakfast ready for ya."

Grimacing at the German and clearly considering tossing a few vehement remarks her way, Misato eventually groaned in defeat before turning towards Shinji. "Okay, I admit defeat. _This _time!" Pausing to direct a look at Asuka that said that she was conceding the battle, not the war, the Major then focused on Shinji. "So...what's for breakfast?"

"Soup and rice, and some fish and pickles," Shinji reported. "You know, those really good pickles? Seven Lucky Gods?"

"Oh, those are my _favorite!_" Misato beamed with obvious delight. "I didn't realize I had any left!"

"Well, I noticed that we were running short of a few things, so I stopped at the store on the way back from headquarters yesterday," Shinji explained.

"Aw, Shinji…thanks!" Misato beamed, and without warning, she leaned down to wrap her arms about him. Pressing her breasts against him and nuzzling his cheek with her own, she pulled back just enough to look him in the eye and say, "You know, you're gonna make some girl a fine husband one of these days. Lucky her."

"H-hey! Misato!" Shinji gulped, his cheeks burning as the Major chuckled. A moment later, apparently satisfied her teasing, she stood up straight and continued to the dining area. Smiling as he watched her progress, Shinji then proceeded towards the kitchen area, and went about his usual duty of serving breakfast, both for himself and his guardian. The two of them ate in relative silence for a while, exchanging words here and there about little things, like how Misato would spend her time off, or things that needed to be done around the apartment.

As they were finishing breakfast, Asuka's voice was heard from the other room. "Aw, give me a break!" the German grumbled sourly. "What, they have to have this on _every single channel?"_

"Huh?" Frowning somewhat, Misato looked like she was about to say something else, but then she furrowed her brows before standing up from her seat. Watching as she made her way to the living room, Shinji looked down at his empty dishes before up at his guardian, and decided that clearing the table could wait long enough for him to find out what was going on.

When Shinji entered the living room, he found Misato standing behind the German girl, who was lying on top of a beanbag chair and was glaring at the TV. "What is it, Asuka?"

"It's that thing! You know, that – whatever-it-was that was running around last night?" Glancing away from the TV, Asuka gave them a grumpy look before looking back at it. "They're talking about it on every single lousy channel! Can you believe that?"

His mouth popping open somewhat, Shinji looked over at the television. Sure enough, it showed a reporter standing in front of a heavily damaged section of Tokyo-3, and after all the battles he had fought against the Angels, he could easily recognize the destruction as having occurred recently. "So far, the police have no leads as to who or what attacked the subway tunnel, as well as several other locations throughout Tokyo-3," the reporter on the screen intoned. "When asked if it were possible that an Angel was responsible for the attacks, the NERV spokesperson declined comment."

"What are they talking about? Of _course _it wasn't an Angel!" Asuka sneered. "Seriously, if it _had_ been an Angel, we'd have picked it up by now and taken it apart!"

While Shinji was suffering doubts about that, Misato looked down at her charge. "Well, I guess I can't blame people for being concerned," she decided in a wearied voice. "If they thought that NERV had somehow missed picking up on an Angel…"

"Which is simply not possible," Asuka broke in, her voice making it clear that she would not entertain any notions to the contrary.

While the two of them were wondering what, if anything, they should say to that, the reporter went on to say, "So far, several eyewitnesses have come forward, claiming to have seen the creature. But still, it is proving to be almost impossible to get an accurate description of this unidentified being, as no two people seem to be able to agree on exactly what it was they saw." The scene then shifted to several of the said witnesses that the news people had been able to find.

"It was big! Bigger than anything human!" a cab driver intoned, holding his hands over his head to indicate the creature's size. "And it was hunched over, with its hands on the ground…like a gorilla or something, I don't know!"

"That thing was no Angel! It was the spawn of the devil himself!" grated an old woman, who was waving her cane before the camera.

"It was green. A really deep green," commented a younger woman. "I dunno…maybe a mini-Godzilla…?"

"It was just big! Like, _huge!"_ announced one of a pair of boys who looked to be a couple years Shinji's senior, while the other nodded and made noises of assent. "Like this great, big…_hulk!_ And it was crashing and smashing through all these buildings, and…"

"Good _Gott,_ what a pair of idiots," Asuka sneered, shaking her head in disbelief. "And I thought the other two Stooges were bad…"

While Asuka continued to make snide comments beneath her breath, the scene switched back to the reporter. "Well, whatever this hulking creature is, whether a gorilla or an Angel or something else altogether, there's no doubt that it's made its mark on this city, which has already received more than its share of battle scars."

"I don't believe this _schisse_," Asuka muttered as she clicked off the TV. "The Angels show up, and you barely see anything about them on the news! But some weird freak trashes a couple of buildings, and it's all over the place? Gimme a break!"

"It's kind of hard for the Angels to make the news, what with the JSSDF making sure that reporters can't get anywhere near an engagement area," Misato pointed out blithely. "Or maybe mysterious creatures just have better PR people."

"Yeah, whatever!" Asuka muttered dangerously. "Hmph! 'Hulking creature'…who cares about that kind of thing, anyway?"

* * *

"Tokyo-3 Savaged by Unknown Beast," Kaji muttered beneath his breath, reciting the headline of the newspaper in his hands. Then he glanced down at the smaller headline below, which read, "Police Still Searching for Hulking Monster."

Giving a roll of his eyes at this, the unshaven man then looked down at the picture situated just below the second headline, which someone had apparently taken using their cell phone. It was badly lit, unfocused, and all it showed was a dark, humanoid shape situated against even deeper darkness holding something over its head. According to the byline beneath the picture, the creature was hefting a car, but Kaji never would have been able to tell by the photo itself.

_I wonder why they decided to call it a 'hulking' monster,_ Kaji wondered idly as he made his way through the streets. _I mean, I guess they figured they had to make it clear it was big, because this picture certainly isn't going to show it, but hulking? Why not use some other word, like…gigantic? Enormous? Something like that?_ Looking up from the paper, Kaji considered the matter for a short time. _Maybe whoever wrote this story decided that 'hulking' made this thing sound more dangerous._

Cocking his head to the side, Kaji decided that this made about as much sense as anything before yawning deeply. _Aw, damn. Maybe I should have had _two _cups of coffee this morning, and not just one,_ he thought, stifling another yawn. _Ugh…what am I doing up at this time of day, anyway?_

Less than twelve hours ago, Kaji had gotten back home after he and Ritsuko had finished escorting Misato and her wards back to their apartment. The first thing he did was take some aspirin for the hangover that was hammering away at him, and the second had been to collapse into bed, asleep the instant his head had hit the pillow. And he very much would have liked to remain there and catch up on some much-needed sleep after everything that had happened. Unfortunately, six hours later, he had found himself awakened to an even larger headache by the sound of his telephone ringing its electronic head off. Something he would have gladly ignored, if not for the fact that his Caller ID had revealed the caller to be none other than Commander Ikari himself. Awake and alert and not caring if Kaji had a hangover or had just been crushed underfoot by an Angel, Gendo had made it very clear that he wanted some hard answers about exactly what happened the previous night. As well as whom he expected to get those answers.

_I guess I can't blame the Commander for being a bit suspicious, _Kaji mused as he recalled the events that had taken place in the subway, as well as everything else that had happened in the darkness of night. _Katsuragi somehow manages to disappear just as some mysterious monster shows up and goes crazy in Tokyo-3? And it's only after said monsters disappears without a trace that she pops up again, au natural and with no idea how she got that way?_

Looking up at his destination and grimacing as the noises coming from it aggravated his throbbing head, Kaji let out a weary sigh. For even as tired as he was and how addled his brain was after being so thoroughly soused, he could still see how easy it was to suspect a connection between these events. Which left him with no recourse but to either prove that a connection existed…or prove that it didn't.

As tired he had been, Kaji had been quick to get on the ball. Which was why, after slapping some caffeine into his bloodstream, he had made his way out towards the supermarket that had been at the end of the enigmatic creature's rampage, less than a block away from the alley where Misato had been found. Or rather, what was left of it.

What had once been a good-sized grocery store, much larger than most of the markets still operating in Tokyo-3, was now a broken shadow of its former self. The entire front wall had been ripped apart, with bits and pieces of it now littering an entire street. Men in hardhats and who were obviously used to heavy lifting were seen all over the place, as were bulldozers and other construction equipment. "Alright, keep it coming!" sounded a deep voice as Kaji drew closer, somehow managing to pierce through the sounds of both heavy machinery and workers toiling and grunting in the midst of their labors. Labors that consisted chiefly of lifting and carrying large chunks of concrete from one place to another, or using jackhammers and similar devices to break down even larger chunks.

"That's it, keep it moving!" that same voice sounded again, but this time, Kaji was close enough to get a look at the speaker. He was big guy with a scowl that seemed to be permanently etched into his face, and judging from the way he was shouting orders to everyone in sight, he had to be the foreman of the crew. "Come on, people, let's move it! We have to have this place back up and running in a week, tops! So let's do it!"

"You got it, Godzilla!" one of the workers cheerfully called back. Or at least as close to cheerful as one could get while hauling around what looked like a hundred pounds of solid concrete.

Not envying the workers their task, Kaji snorted a laugh and kept going. Tokyo-3 had what had to be the largest consistent construction/demolition crew in Japan, possibly in the world, charged with putting the city back together again and again when ever an Angel came along to humpty-dumpty it. And while they were better than all the king's horses and men, there was no doubt that their task bordered on impossible at times.

_Then again, they do have job security. And that's about the hardest thing to find these days!_ Kaji admitted as he passed the work crew by. _And speaking of finding things… _Putting the construction crew behind him mentally and physically, he continued to roam about, looking much like a casual curiosity seeker poking around a place of interest. But his curiosity was far from casual. Pausing to inspect the supermarket that the work crew was attempting to salvage, the unshaven man continued onward.

As Kaji made his way into a nearby alley, he spotted somebody there. It was a man of about his height with hair-colored hair, and as unremarkable a face as was possible. He was clad in a brown vest and white shirt, and regular pants that had seen quite a bit of wear and tear. A completely ordinary person who was apparently studying his own feet. Only to look up at the unshaven man, and snort at his approach. "You're late."

Quirking a smile, Kaji shrugged as he approached his contact in the Tokyo-3 police. "Just wanted to make sure that no one saw me."

"You're being watched?" his contact asked with a definite frown.

"Not that I know of," Kaji responded with the ease of someone out for night on the town. "But you know how it is. Just because you're paranoid…"

"Doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you," his contact concluded with a lopsided smile. "That sure sounds like you."

Chuckling in his throat, Kaji cocked his head to the side as he studied the person he had called earlier that day and arranged to meet. "So," he began as he sauntered closer, "have the police managed to find anything?"

"You mean, beyond what we had last night? Not really." Heaving a weary sigh, his contact stood up straight and started towards the other end of the alley. "Captain Momochi has had every man and woman on the force going up and down the city since the first attack, and aside from the damage it caused, we've barely found any sign that this creature ever actually existed."

His ears pricking at the word 'barely', Kaji shot his contact a sideways glance. "But you did manage to find something, didn't you," he asked in a way that made it clear he was really asking. "Otherwise, why invite me down here?"

His contact frowned somewhat, his eyes falling even lower. "The captain would have me suspended for life if he knew I was talking about this to anyone, but…yeah, we found something," he admitted, his hesitation speaking volumes. "We were checking the area last night, trying to see if anybody had been hurt by this thing, or least if we could dredge up another witness when we found it." Heaving a deep breath, the policeman waved at Kaji, gesturing for him to follow. "It's this way."

Not bothering to ask, Kaji followed his contact at a discrete distance. Before long, they exited the alley, and were in another street. It was completely unremarkable, with trash and debris littering the ground and graffiti on the walls, save for a section that had been barricaded off, and was presently covered with a blue tarp. "What is it?"

"See for yourself," the officer returned as he moved past the saw horses and crouched down next to the tarp. Looking up at Kaji, he waited until he was right next to the site before lifting the blue covering up, and watched as an expression of genuine surprise plastered itself on the unshaven man's face when he realized what he was looking at.

"This…" Kaji began, kneeling down to get a better look at it, "this is an impact crater." Looking up at his contact, he frowned and continued. "Something landed here."

"That's right. And it wasn't just anything," his contact muttered pointing at the center. "Check that out." As Kaji followed the outstretched finger, his eyes bugged out as his already overwhelmed mind threatened to stall out on him.

At the center of the crater, there were a set of footprints imbedded in the concrete, with spider-web fractures radiating out from the sides. As Kaji rose up to get a better look, he quickly realized that the cement surrounding the prints had been pushed up by the force of the impact. "We've found several more craters, just like this, in various parts of the city," his contact explained as the unshaven man moved towards the center, getting a better look at the print. "From what witnesses have been able to tell us, it seems that whatever this thing was, it moved around by jumping from one place to another."

"And it made these every time it came in for a landing," Kaji muttered as he came up alongside the prints themselves. Though they were rough in shape, it was obvious to him that they were made by something very much like human feet. Except that when he placed his own foot next to them for comparison, he realized that they were at least four to five inches longer than his own. "And for it to make such an impact, and to just…walk away from it…"

"It gets better," the officer muttered grimly. "We've measured the distance between the various craters, in order to get a better idea of what we're dealing with. See how far it could go." A shadow of doom darkened his features as he leaned in closer to Kaji. "And unless we missed something, the shortest distance between these craters is six _miles._"

Sucking in a deep breath, Kaji looked from the impossible footprints to his contact and back again. "Damn," he got out as he wrapped his mind around that particular tidbit. "What about the attack sites? Do you have any clues why the thing went after them in the first place?"

"None whatsoever. The places it attacked apparently had nothing in common. It's like this thing was mad as all hell and decided to take it out on anything it could find." The officer gave a self-depreciating look before adding, "Except for the supermarket. We did some checking, and it turns out that this thing _did _have a specific reason for sacking it."

Kaji required a moment to consider this statement before he reached the obvious conclusion. "It was hungry?"

"And in a _big_ way," his contact confirmed. "It wasn't too fussy about what it ate, either. Bread, instant foods still frozen, juice, booze…just about anything." Sighing tiredly, the officer shrugged before going on. "Anyway, this…thing…it knocked out the market's power, but we're hoping the security cameras picked up something before they went down."

"In which case, I'll be extremely grateful to you if you could find some way of making sure a copy of those tapes found their way into my hands," Kaji noted.

"That'll be easier said than done," the contact grimaced. "In case you've forgotten, Captain Momochi isn't a big fan of NERV. And if he ever found out that I've been giving information to them…"

"Which is why we better make sure that he doesn't find out," Kaji broke in, not wanting a valuable contact getting overly concerned about 'what-ifs'. Determined to keep him from worrying, he pulled out his wallet, and fished out several bills. "Here, why don't you forget your woes for a while, and go buy the wife something nice?"

The officer gave the proffered bills a hesitant look before he finally accepted them. "Just so you know," he muttered as he tucked them away out of sight, "if I manage to come through on those security tapes, it's gonna cost you. _Big time._"

"I don't doubt it," Kaji intoned, already planning on getting compensation for his expenditures. "Well, not that it hasn't been fun, but I better get going. I've got bosses of my own I need to keep happy."

"Heh. Good luck with that," the officer remarked, waving dismissively at Kaji before turning to leave.

As for Kaji, he continued to stand next to the impact crater, studying the impossible footprints at the center for a time before placing the tarp back exactly as he had found it. _Whew. This just keeps getting nastier by the second,_ he thought ruefully as he stood back to study his handiwork. Once certain that no one would be the wiser to his visit, the unshaven man started away as well. _Ritsy, I hope you're having better luck than I am. Because unless you can pull a rabbit out of your hat, things aren't looking too good for Katsuragi._

* * *

"So you've managed to find something?" Gendo muttered, again seated at his desk. Again with his fingers steepled together in that painfully familiar pose of his, with the minimal light of his office reflecting off his glasses. As a result, his eyes were hidden from view, leaving Ritsuko confronted with two soulless disks of cold light.

_I hate this, _Ritsuko moaned inwardly, not for the first time. She hated the way the man whom was she sometimes shared a bed would turn those cruel eyes on her. A situation made even worse by the fact that Fuyutsuki was nowhere to be seen for once. The old professor was perhaps the one person that could diminish the Commander's palpable air of malice in situations like this.

Pausing to wonder if Gendo knew about the impact Fuyutsuki's presence had on people, and had dismissed him for that very reason, Ritsuko sucked in a breath and focused on the situation. Focused on being a scientist, on doing what she had to do. "Yes, sir," she began, trying to stabilize herself. "I checked with the crew on duty at the bridge during the time period in which this…this creature was attacking Tokyo-3, to see if they had detected anything unusual."

"I take that they found something," Gendo oozed, leaning closer towards the woman who had surrendered her fate to him a long time ago. "Something of importance."

"Yes, they did. Though they hadn't realized it at first," Ritsuko explained, bringing forth a remote control, one used to activate certain holographic displays in rooms such as this one. With the press of a button, she caused a map of Tokyo-3 to appear in the center of Gendo's office, with several points already highlighted. "These are the locations that were destroyed last night, marked for the times they were attacked. And this…" The doctor hit another button, causing something else to appear. An orange blob that covered the site of the first attack, the subway, "is what the MAGI detected at the time of the first attack."

The cruel light in Gendo's glasses diminished for a moment, in which time Ritsuko could actually see something that might have been scientific curiosity. "What is it?"

"An energy pattern of some kind. The MAGI couldn't identify it at first, let alone pinpoint the origin," Ritsuko explained, making sure that everything she said was clear. That there was nothing that could come back to haunt her. "Now, I've created a time-indexed recreation of the creature's progress through Tokyo-3, and cross-referenced it against the movement of the pattern. And this is what I found."

Again, the doctor pushed a button, and sent the display into motion. The indicator marking the subway flashed for the time it was attacked, shortly afterwards the blob of orange began stretching out towards the next site of destruction. Shortly after it covered the location, the indicator flashed, symbolizing that place's destruction. Then the orange glob started towards the next location, a pattern that repeated until it reached the supermarket. "The pattern disappeared a short time after the last attack."

"Then this pattern was generated by the creature," Gendo remarked needlessly. "Have you analyzed it?"

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko nodded, clicking the remote again. This time, a shot of an analysis screen marking the energy composite of the pattern appeared. "The pattern is a hybrid of the red pattern seen in human life, and the blue pattern of the Angels."

"A hybrid pattern," Gendo repeated, his glasses flashing with menace. "So this creature has aspects of human and Angelic physiology."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko muttered, well aware of what she was saying. "The red component is clearly dominant, however." Gesturing at the makeup of the pattern, the doctor knew that Gendo could see the difference. "Less than a quarter of the pattern makeup is blue. So whatever this thing is, it's not an Angel."

"So I see," Gendo muttered darkly. "But why were the MAGI unable to identify it?"

"Because of the other factors in the pattern," Ritsuko answered immediately, pointing to the various energy spikes that were on display. "There are several varying energy frequencies present here in different amounts, any one of which could have interfered with the Angel Detection System." Then she pointed out the largest spike to be seen on the display. "Particularly _this _one."

Frowning somewhat, Gendo eyed that spike for a time before saying, "Gamma radiation?"

"Yes, sir. Whatever this thing is, it has a massive gamma signature. It's impossible to miss, once you know what to look for," Ritsuko intoned, moving down to other analyses. "Now, here's the interesting part. Whenever this creature moves past a given area, there's no sign of lingering radiation. As if the gamma energy is completely contained and regulated within the creature. Of course, I can't confirm this without actually studying this thing itself, but given our current data, it's the only thing that makes sense."

Nodding somewhat, Gendo gave the holographic displays a final look before turning his attention towards the doctor. "And what about Major Katsuragi?" he muttered dangerously. "Have you made any progress in determining her…connection to this creature?"

Her heart instantly plummeting, Ritsuko heaved a weary breath. "Sir, I can't tell you if there even _is_ a connection, let alone what it is," she began, her voice soft and weak, even to her own ears. "There's no hard evidence that…"

"Really? No hard evidence, you say?" Gendo spoke, his voice taking on a hard, dangerous tone. "Her reaction to Adam, her nightmares, her inability to account for her location during the entire time this creature was running rampant. And you claim that there is no connection?" His eyes narrowed sharply, the soulless light caught in his glass intensifying, causing Ritsuko to recoil ever so slightly. "I think it's very obvious that there _is _a connection, Doctor. And what that connection is."

Ritsuko knew where this was going. In fact, she had found her own thoughts wandering up that path herself. So much so that she could certainly understand how easy it was for someone to reach that conclusion. Except for one indisputable fact that completely ruined that hypothesis. "Sir, with all due respect, I can't see how that would be possible. If Misato really _were_ this…this creature…then a medical examination would have confirmed it! But there's just no sign of any kind of mutagenic factors in her system!"

"And you're sure about that?" Gendo inquired, his voice still cold and dangerous.

"Yes, I am," Ritsuko returned, not allowing herself to wavered by emotion. To rely on the facts and figures that she had based her existence on. "NERV Medical performed an extensive examination the day she fainted, sir. And I conducted several more tests, including blood analyses and cellular scans. All of which the MAGI confirmed as reading completely normal, sir." Giving this a moment to sink in, the doctor frowned and tried a different tact. "Even with all the similarities between human and Angelic DNA, a mutation capable of transforming a human in such a way would be easily detectable."

Gendo didn't say anything to this. Not at first. Instead, he continued to sit there, his hands a pyramid before him, his mouth pressed tightly shut. "Dr. Akagi…what progress have you made in your other project? To mask Adam's presence."

Thrown off by this sudden shift in topic, Ritsuko felt her mouth pop open before she was able to recover. "I've done the necessary analyses, and everything looks sound," she explained, her voice shakier than she was happy with. "I'll be ready to perform the procedure as soon as I have the necessary materials. They should arrive in…two days, sir."

"Very well. Until then, I want you to conduct a full evaluation of Major Katuragi's condition," Gendo intoned. "Use whatever resources you deem necessary, but I want decisive proof regarding her connection to this creature. One way…or another."

Letting out a low gasp, Ritsuko struggled to remain on her feet after this blow. _I guess I should have known it wouldn't work,_ she moaned heavily. Once again, Gendo had his way, just as he always did. Just as he always would.

Struggling to keep her feelings buried below, where they couldn't keep her from doing whatever survival demanded of her, Ritsuko again relied on the part of her that was a scientist to see her through. "Very well, sir," she got out, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. "In that case, I'd like to bring Maya in on this project." A questioning noise was heard in the Commander's throat at this, the only sign of surprise he gave. "She's one of the best minds I've ever worked with. She might be able to come up with a different way of approaching this."

Gendo hesitated a beat before answering. "Very well. But make sure that she has no idea why you are conducting these tests. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko responded, feeling as if she were an empty shell. A puppet on someone else's strings.

Which, in the grand scheme of things, she knew she was.

* * *

As Misato lounged in her bathtub, trying to relax and let the hot water wash away her worries and concerns, she couldn't help but be aware of the irony of her present situation. Of the fact that her she was, lazing around at home, essentially being paid to do absolutely nothing…and all she wanted to do was go to work and tackle her duties. To do something, _anything,_ to busy herself. To distract herself from her own nagging doubts, from things that she had had too much time to dwell on as of late.

Three days had passed since she had gone out with Ritsuko and Kaji, three days since she had woken in an alley, bare to the world. Three days since a creature had run rampant through Tokyo-3, and had not been seen since. Three days in which Misato had been given plenty of time to goof off, drink, relax, watch stupid movies on TV…and think.

Something was wrong with her. Misato knew that much. She could feel it in her heart. Something far beyond the nightmares which had hounded her so frequently. Something much worse, with so many things that didn't add up.

_What happened to me back in the Commander's office?_ Misato thought as she lay back in her tub, her arms folded beneath her head as she studied the ceiling. Looking at it as if the answers to all her questions were hidden somewhere within it, waiting to be discovered. _What was it that caused me to pass out? And…what was…that feeling…?_

As Misato's train of thought broke up completely, she frowned as she waged an internal debate that she had been having more than she wanted to think about. She had known something was wrong since she had started having the nightmare, and the way she had started having it so frequently had been proof of that. To the point where it had even started intruding upon her in the waking world.

_That feeling,_ Misato thought, frowning intently as she recalled that hideous sensation the dream inspired in her. The same hideous sensation of terror, like something was watching her, like the monster from the capsule was right there, glaring into her soul. _Why do I keep having that feeling, even when I'm awake?_

Shaking her head wearily, Misato remembered all the times she had had that dread sensation, like when she had been getting ready to board the _Over the Rainbow_, or when she was at work. _But why? What does it all mean? What's so important about this damned nightmare, anyway? _Shifting her legs about, the purple-haired woman frowned as the answers to her questions continued to elude her. The same way they had been doing so since the nightmares began. _And…what does it have to do with what happened to me…?_

That was another point, another thing that Misato didn't want to think of, but couldn't forget, no matter how she tried. The dread sensation she had felt within Commander Ikari's office, when he had raised his right hand to her. Congratulating her for her promotion. _The Commander's hand…_ she thought, recalling the exact sensation as she had been confronted with it. A feeling like it was something with a life of its own. A creature hiding in the darkness, waiting for the chance to strike her down. A feeling that she had been quick to dismiss as her own over-active imagination getting the better of her. Something that was harder to do in the days that followed. _But why? Why would the Commander make me feel like that? Sure, he's a thorough bastard, and just about everybody hates him, but why…?_

Again, Misato had no answers, no resolution. And no peace as her mind returned to another, more recent point of contention; the night the creature appeared in Tokyo-3.

_Something happened to me that night. I'm sure of it,_ Misato frowned, thinking back to that night. A night that was veiled in darkness by booze and exhaustion…and something else. Something like the nightmare, but different. Something terrible, yet familiar, all at the same time. _But what? And how the hell did I get all the way over to that alley, anyway?_

There were no answers to be found there, either. None that made any sense. If Misato had been abducted by the creature, she was certain she would have remembered it. If she had been roused by its attack and forced to escape, it was possible she could have wandered out that way. Unlikely, but still possible. But that didn't explain how she would have lost her dress in the process. If she had been found by an honest citizen of Tokyo-3, she wouldn't have been dumped in an alley. And if she had been picked up some of the less pleasant people there, she could see herself being dumped in an alley, but not before they had had their way with her. In which case, she wouldn't have woken up completely unmarked.

_There's something else going on here. Something I'm missing,_ Misato knew. Just as she knew that she was no closer to figuring out what that something was then she had been morning after she had first had her recurring nightmare. _Aw, damn! Why am I even bothering?_ Shifting about in the tub, she rested her chin on the side. _Why can't I just sit back, relax, and forget it all happened?_

But even as she asked this, Misato realized that this was one question she knew the answer to. Because she couldn't forget, anymore than she could drive the horror of Second Impact from her thoughts, and let the ghosts from her past rest in peace. The only way she could cope with these things was by burying them, either in booze…or in her work.

While Misato was groaning at the sickening irony of it all, someone started knocking on the door of the bathroom. "Uh, Misato?"

"Hey, Shinji," Misato smiled, grateful for this sudden distraction. She considered asking him if he wanted to join her in the bath before soon discarding that idea, and instead asked, "What is it?"

"I'm almost done fixing dinner," Shinji reported. "It should be ready in about five, ten minutes."

Her smile turning into a grin, Misato lifted herself out of the bathtub. "Thanks! I'll be out in a minute!" Satisfied that she had given her ward ample warning, she hurriedly toweled herself off before wrapping herself up into the damp cloth. Once that was done, she left the bathroom and entered the kitchen, pausing to sniff at the delightful aroma filling the air. "Hmm…is that curried chicken I smell?"

Turning away from the stove, Shinji looked at his guardian, blushing somewhat as he nodded. "Ooh, I can't wait!"

Grinning impishly, Misato made her way into her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she let her used towel flop to the floor before she went over to her closet. _Ah, what would I do without you, Shinji-kun?_ she asked in a way that was sadly familiar to her at this point. _I swear, if you were just a bit older…or I a bit younger…_

Shaking her head at this, at the kindness shown her by the boy she had taken into her life, Misato sighed in longing as she donned a pair of cutoff shorts. Then she found a tank-top shirt on the floor that was in halfway decent condition, at least enough for dinner, and picked it up. "Misato!" Shinji called out. "Dinner's ready!"

"I'm coming!" Misato smiled as she held up the tank-top. Looking away from the mirror situated at her dresser out of well-worn habit, she pulled the shirt over her head before exiting her room.

What Misato didn't know was that there was no longer any reason to avert her eyes from her own body, that she hadn't had to do it since she had been brought home after she had been found by the police. She didn't know that the scar that had been with her since Second Impact was gone. She didn't know this because she had hardly ever looked at it, because she didn't want to be reminded of all the things it symbolized. And with everything that had happened, she had deliberately avoided looking at the portion of her flesh that had born this mark of pain, and remained unaware that it was gone.

* * *

As Ritsuko and Maya worked in the doctor's office, utilizing the small-yet-efficient laboratory it houses, the faux-blonde could only stare at the results of their labors with ever-increasing disgust. "Aw, damn," she muttered as she looked away from her computer screen. "What about you, Maya? Got anything yet?"

The technician shook her head weakly. "Nothing, sempai," Maya muttered before rubbing some of the exhaustion from her eye. "Uh…remind me again why we're doing this, anyway?"

"Commander's orders," Ritsuko muttered as she sat back in her seat and removed her glasses. Not in the mood to say anything further, she glared at the lab equipment like it was her personal enemy.

In the days since her last meeting with Gendo, Ritsuko had done everything she could think of to either confirm or deny that there was some kind of link between Misato and the unknown creature. She had gone over her initial exams, run them through the MAGI every which way she could think of, studied medical reports done on her shortly after the Jet Alone incident, and subjected the blood sample she had taken from her friend to every test she knew of. All of it with the same results.

_Misato's just fine. Everything checks out as being completely normal,_ Ritsuko told herself for what felt like the umpteenth time. _So why can't Gendo accept it? That he was wrong about her? _But even as she asked herself that question, the faux-blonde realized that she already knew the answer. Because Gendo was _never_ wrong. He couldn't or wouldn't accept the fact that he was every bit as fallible as any other human being.

_Okay, I admit it. This whole thing is more than a little suspicious. Misato disappears when this creature shows up, the creature disappears before we find Misato. Misato has no idea how she managed to get miles away from the subway all on her own. Misato is naked when we find her. I get that part!_ Ritsuko groaned inwardly. _But there's nothing in her biochemistry to suggest that there's any form of connection between them, let alone the possibility that Misato…that she's…_

"Sempai?" Jumping somewhat as she was jolted from her thoughts, Ritsuko turned to look at Maya. "Are you alright?"

Pausing to gather her thoughts, Ritsuko sighed before saying, "No, I'm not alright. I'm tired, I'm fed up, and I wish I could figure out what the hell I'm doing wrong here!"

"What?" Maya started, sitting up at this vehement declaration. "But…you're not doing _anything _wrong! We've done all the tests exactly right! _Several times!_" Shrugging helplessly, the brunette smiled and said, "It's not your fault the Commander can't accept it when he's wrong."

Smiling wanly in response to this gesture of faith, Ritsuko replied, "Thanks, Maya. But do yourself a favor and don't let Ikari hear you say something like that. Or you're liable to wind up on Maintenance Team 13!"

"Ugh! I'd rather get fired!" Maya grimaced, punctuating her statement with a full-body shudder. "Still, I don't understand why we're spending so much time on this. So the Major fainted a week ago! NERV Medical already cleared her, so why do we have to spend so much time on this?"

"Because the Commander wants to be absolutely certain that Misato won't faint the next time an Angel shows up," Ritsuko muttered, taking refuge in a half-truth. "And before you ask how much longer we have to keep working on this, the answer is until he's satisfied with our results."

Maya managed a snort that, one that she followed up by saying, "Well, the way things are going, the next Angel will have probably shown up by the time _that _happens."

Despite everything, Ritsuko found herself chuckling at this. Despite Misato's various jokes about the _real_ reason Maya liked working with her so much, the doctor had to admit that she would be lost without the techie. The two of them worked extremely well together, and Maya was one of the few people that could lift Ritsuko's spirits when she was feeling down. She was one of the kindest, gentlest people the doctor had ever met, and despite her experiences with grim reality, she couldn't help but hope that she remain the innocent she was.

"So what now?" Ritsuko wondered, looking helplessly at her understudy. "Got any brilliant ideas?"

Rolling her head to the side, Maya asked, "I don't suppose calling it a night and trying again tomorrow is an option?"

"I wish. Unfortunately, that didn't work too well last night," Ritsuko muttered. "We came in this morning every bit as clueless as we were the night before, remember?"

"True," Maya conceded before giving the doctor a lopsided grin. "But at least we got some sleep out of it." Another chuckle sounded in the doctor's throat at this. "I dunno, sempai. I mean…there has to be _some _wayto prove the Major's okay."

"If there is, I don't know what it could be," Ritsuko conceded, more than a little unhappy about that. The simple fact of the matter was that she knew there would be no placating Gendo until he was proven right, despite the fact that all the medical evidence was to the contrary.

_If only someone had _seen _her! Had spotted Misato after the creature had attacked the train!_ Ritsuko thought bitterly, thinking of all the people that still resided in Tokyo-3. And while there were plenty to have seen the monster Misato was suspected of being, not one of them had spotted her friend, lost and alone and staggering helplessly in the dark. _If we just had one witness, just _one,_ that might be enough to convince Ikari, and…_

Heaving a bitter sigh, Ritsuko sat back as her chain of thought broke apart. The fact of the matter was that there was no such witness, and if there was, than he or she didn't have the decency to come forward. Leaving her sitting in her office, without a single idea of what to do, and her scientific mind throwing up its hands in unconditional surrender. "Y'know, on second thought, maybe we _should_ just call it a night," the faux-blonde grumbled as she shifted about in her seat. "We've gotten nothing so far, so…"

"Right," Maya agreed as the doctor trailed off. "And if the Commander's so concerned, we should probably have the Major come by NERV Medical. Have them run another check on her."

_Not likely. Not until the Commander's sure she won't pick up on Adam,_ Ritsuko grumbled inwardly. Aloud, she said, "It couldn't hurt. It certainly couldn't be any more useless than what we've been doing." On that note, the doctor rose to her feet, her body issuing various aches and pains in protest. "Come on. Why don't we stop someplace, have a drink or two before heading home."

"Good idea, sempai," Maya beamed approvingly. "But if it's all the same to you, I'll skip on the drink. I've never been a big fan of beer, or…"

"I see," Ritsuko nodded in understanding as her friend trailed off. "Okay then. I…" Now it was the doctor's turn to trail off as Maya's jaw fell with surprise, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. "Maya?" Ritsuko asked, cocking her head to the side as she studied her understudy. "Maya, what is it?"

"Oh, my…of course! Why didn't I think of it before?" Slapping herself in her forehead, Maya looked hard at her mentor, an expression of surprised delight spreading across her face. "Sempai, we've been running those tests with the Major's blood as it is, right?"

Her mouth popping open, Ritsuko narrowed her eyes before saying, "Uh, yes. Why wouldn't we?"

"Well, it's just that I thought of something!" Maya went on, energy and enthusiasm showing in her voice for the first time in days. "Maybe the reason we're not finding anything wrong with the Major because, right now, there's nothing wrong with her! Because whatever caused her to faint isn't in her system anymore!"

A blank noise echoed in Ritsuko's throat as she tried to make sense of what her friend was saying. "Uh, not there anymore…?" she got out, her overworked mind failing to make sense of Maya's words. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"Think about it! Maybe there was something in the Major's body that caused her to pass out, and the reason we're not seeing it is because her system had metabolized it before you took her blood sample!" Maya then turned and started pacing about the lab, her idea taking on greater definition with every step she took. "Maybe she ate or drank something without realizing it, something she had a bad reaction to, and _that's _what caused her to faint!"

As Ritsuko finally managed to catch up to her friend's train of thought, she found herself rolling her eyes at it. "Maya, that seems pretty iffy to me," the faux-blonde muttered halfheartedly. But then another portion of her, the scientific portion, pounced on her friend's theory and took it in another direction. "Still…maybe if we analyzed the blood with something else mixed in with it…maybe some other naturally-occurring biochemical…"

"Right! Kaji said that the Major was awfully keyed up! Maybe that has something to do with it!" Maya grinned as she moved to stand in front of the doctor, waving her finger about as if to orchestrate her thoughts. "Maybe if we tested the blood under different conditions, we might get something this time!"

"Hmmm…" Ritsuko sounded, placing her hand to her chin. Because as enthused by this new idea as Maya was, the doctor really wasn't as optimistic about running such tests, and for more than one reason. The first being that she knew the real reason she and Maya were conducting this exam, and she didn't see how a sudden influx of endorphins or estrogen would somehow cause Angelic DNA to pop out of nowhere. The second was that, even if her friend was correct and testing the blood under different conditions was the key, they didn't have much blood left to work with, nowhere near enough to test the complete spectrum of substances one was liable to find in the bloodstream. More than likely, they would have to bring Misato herself in for that.

_And I just know Ikari won't like that idea. Not unless he's already left to conduct his 'inspection' at the harbor,_ Ritsuko thought grimly, well aware of the Commander's motivation behind giving Misato some time off. But even as she considered these things, the doctor realized something else; that Maya's theory was pretty much the only thing they hadn't explored yet. And was likely the only chance she had of proving or disproving the Commander's theory.

After a few more moments of consideration, Ritsuko sighed in resignation and said, "Fine. Prep a series of slides for analysis while I get some likely biochemicals for testing. And!" Pausing to hold up her finger to Maya, she then added, "And if this doesn't work, we're going home. No stops, no drinks. Just home and bed. Got it?"

"Works for me, sempai," Maya replied with a weary smile, and without further ado, the two women set to work. While Ritsuko gathered up several biochemicals often found in the bloodstream in varying amounts, Maya placed a few drops of blood on each of a dozen glass slides before snapping them into the bio-analyzer for simultaneous comparison. Hovering about each slide was high-definition camera fitted with a microscope, which allowed them to view the blood cells themselves via the holographic display which hovered in the air above the machine.

"Well, this is it," Ritsuko muttered once everything was in place. Turning to look over at her understudy, she asked, "Maya? Ready to commence analysis?"

"Ready and waiting," Maya confirmed with a broad smile. Responding with a nod, Ritsuko turned back towards the slides with the small samples of blood before her, and started with the one on the far right. Holding up a source bottle filled with endorphins, she took from it a dropper filled with the natural chemical, and positioned it over a sample. Squeezing gently, she allowed a single drop to plunge down upon the blood, mixing with it instantly. As soon as this was done, she looked up at the display, to see if there was any kind of reaction. Anything to indicate some change, _anything _that might give them a clue.

Nothing. The blood was exactly the same. No signs of a mutation. No Angelic DNA. Nothing.

_No surprise there,_ Ritsuko sighed before turning towards Maya. The two of them exchanged a look, shrugged, and the doctor set aside the one source bottle, this one containing progestin. Again, nothing.

Serotonin. Nothing.

Insulin. Nothing.

Estrogen. Nothing.

One by one, the two scientists exhausted the various possibilities, as well as whatever energy they might have had remaining to them. As they came within five slides of the end of their experiment with still nothing to show for it, Ritsuko picked up another source bottle, and looked at label. _Adrenaline,_ she thought, smiling somewhat as she studied the bottle. _Considering Misato's temper, her cells should be _very_ well acquainted with this stuff!_ Chuckling at this thought, she took the dropper and allowed a single drop of the liquid to fall down and mix with the blood.

Ritsuko very nearly passed out when she saw what happened next. The moment the adrenaline made contact, the blood shifted and seethed, seeming to boil as it darkened. _"What in the -?"_ the doctor shrieked as the blood continued to change, the once dark red giving way to a bright green.

"_SEMPAI!_" Maya shrieked an instant later. The doctor immediately looked towards the techie…and felt her heart sink straight into her toes.

"Oh, my God…" Ritsuko moaned as she looked at the magnification. Before her eyes, red blood cells still danced about, though they were now vastly outnumbered by larger, green blood cells that seemed to glow with their own inner light. As she continued to watch, the few remaining red cells darkened and swelled, glowing more brightly before turning green as well. Somehow managing to tear her gaze away from what she was seeing, Ritsuko looked at Maya. "Analysis!"

"Biochemistry…mass differential…energy potential…what the hell?" Maya moaned helplessly as her fingers rained down upon the keyboard.

Moving over to where she could look over her understudy's shoulder, Ritsuko's eyes swelled in disbelief at the numbers displayed on the screen. "No way…" she moaned, shaking her head as her fears were confirmed by the MAGI. There is all was for them to see; altered cell structures, massive amounts of gamma radiation somehow being regulated within the individual blood cells. And the final touch, clear indications of Angelic DNA.

As Ritsuko took this all in, very nearly collapsing beneath her own horror, Maya was still working frantically. "Sempai…the MAGI have just conducted a pattern analysis of the blood! It's now registering a partial _blue _pattern!"

Ritsuko barely even heard a word the techie said. She didn't have to. As the MAGI conducted their analysis, their data was all spelled out for her, down to the smallest detail. The Angelic DNA that was now manifesting, the gamma radiation, the base properties of the blood cells in this configuration. All of it. And as her mind absorbed all these facts, her soul was cracking beneath the hammer blow it had just taken.

_Jet Alone…the radiation…_ Ritsuko thought, recalling the aftermath of that fiasco. How she had flown with the rescue team to retrieve Misato from the fallen robot, how she and Shinji had been at her side during the flight back to Tokyo-3, how they had raced her into isolation in NERV Medical, the doctor already convinced that they were too late. That her friend had been lost to a deathtrap of her own making. Only to find relief beyond comparison when it turned out that Misato had escaped the radioactive soup that had been Jet Alone's interior completely unscathed. That her damaged hazmat suit had protected her after all.

_But it _didn't _protect her! The radiation…it _did _something to her! It _changed _her!_ Ritsuko screamed in her own mind, the part of her that cared for her friends, that felt guilt at such things howled its wrath and disgust at the scientist for allowing this to happen. For not acting to protect her friend when she had the chance. _Her body…it must've _absorbed _it completely! That's why we never found any trace of radioactivity inside the suit! And now…and now she's…!_

As Ritsuko's overwrought mind tried and failed to complete this sentence, another voice penetrated her consciousness. "Sempai?" Maya began, her voice trembling with fear. Something that prompted the doctor to turn to the techie, and look into her shaken eyes. "Sempai…what should we do?"

_Why are you asking me? I'm the one who caused this mess in the first place?_ the angry, emotional part of Ritsuko demanded. But even as that part of her cursed and condemned herself, another more rational part came into play. A part that said that there was no use in recriminations, that she had had no choice then, and that she had no choice now. All she could do was what she had to do.

As soon as this thought ran its course, Ritsuko heaved a deep breath, and forced away the guilt that still hovered over her. "I'll get the Commander," she began, taking charge of the situation and herself. "You call Misato's place and try to warn her! Tell her that she has to stay _calm_, no matter what!"

"But…!"

"Don't think! _Just do it! NOW!_" Ritsuko screeched before pulling out her cell phone. Hoping against hope that she was in time.

* * *

Moaning gratefully as she swallowed the last bite of dinner and washed it down with a beer, Misato sat back in her seat as her worries and concerns slid away from her. "Ahh…" she sighed before letting out a deep belch of satisfaction. "That was delicious, Shinji-kun. I definitely needed that…"

"I'm glad you liked it," Shinji smiled as he got up to pick up the dirty dishes. "So, do you feel like dessert?"

Misato's eyes widened at this. "You mean there's dessert as well?"

"I made some strawberry pie earlier," Shinji informed her with a smile. "Would you like a piece?"

Smiling as she shook her head, Misato replied, "You're just too good to me, Shinji-kun. And yes, I'd love a slice!"

"Okay!" Shinji responded as he carried the dishes into the kitchen area. Setting them down to be rinsed off, he then went to the refrigerator.

Growling deep in her throat, Asuka eyed the purple-haired woman. "You're going to turn into a blimp if you keep eating like that," she muttered crossly. When Misato paused, a vein visibly bulging from her forehead, the German followed up by adding, "Seriously! Dinner _and _pie? Gimme a break!"

"Oh, really?" Misato growled beneath her breath, shooting the redhead a poisonous look. "Should I take it that you don't want any pie yourself?"

"Hey, I didn't say that!" Asuka retorted instantly. "It's different for me! _I'm _still growing, in case you've forgotten!"

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten." Then Misato smirked in a typically mischievous fashion and added, "Just like I haven't forgotten that _I'm _not the one who has to worry about being able to fit into a plug suit!"

While Asuka was trying to think of a suitably cutting comeback, Shinji reappeared and said, "I'm sorry, Asuka. Did you want some pie, too?"

Leaning forward to glower more effectively, Asuka growled, "Yes, I want a piece, Third! And thanks for asking me the _first_ time!" Shinji recoiled somewhat, stammering for a moment and guilt playing across his features as he looked between his two female housemates.

"Don't mind her, Shinji-kun," Misato smiled gently, waving aside his concerns. "C'mon! Let's have some pie, relax, and enjoy ourselves! Maybe after we're done eating, we can sit back and watch a movie!"

"Oh," Shinji got out, clearly distracted as he looked back and forth between the two of them. "Well…okay. Sure. That sounds good."

While Shinji retreated into the kitchen, Asuka groaned and rolled her eyes at his behavior, asking herself for what felt like the umpteenth time why she put up with this. _Seriously, look at him, fawning all over Misato! Sometimes, he's as bad as the other Stooges!_ Then she shot a glare at her guardian, who somehow managed not to notice. _And look at her! Flirting with him like that when she's twice his age! It's ridiculous!_

While Asuka usually got on well enough with Misato, the fact that the Operation Director preferred to act like a juvenile delinquent instead of a mature person like Kaji was thoroughly grating to her. Especially since she had recently gotten promoted, and was supposed to be a high-ranking military woman. _You wouldn't catch _me _acting that way if _I _ever become a Major!_ the German sneered derisively. _And the way she's been lounging around here these past few days, letting the baka cater to her at every turn…!_

Grunting in disgust, Asuka shook her head before shifting about in her chair. "Excuse me, I have to take care of something," she muttered, sliding out of her seat. The German then started towards the bathroom, not really paying attention to anything. Until her foot came down on something other than hardwood flooring, and a horrific shriek filled the apartment.

_"Ack! What the -?"_ Asuka gasped, marginally aware of the others whirling about to see what was going on even as she leapt up on one foot. Looking down to see what had happened, her eyes went wide she saw their resident penguin there, holding his flipper in a very human gesture of pain.

_Oh, _schisse, _this isn't good…_ Asuka moaned inwardly as she realized that she had just stepped on PenPen's flipper. After quickly examining the webbed foot for possible damage, the genetically engineered warm water penguin shifted its eyes on the German. Eyes that held a distinctively malicious glint as his feathers ruffled in a familiar manner.

"Aw, crap," Misato groaned from behind the German.

"Uh-oh…" Shinji moaned. And for once, Asuka couldn't blame him for it. They all remembered what happened the _last _time someone had made the mistake of stepping on PenPen.

_"Waaaaarrrrrkkk!"_ PenPen shrieked, raising up his wings, claws appearing from the tips as he charged the German. Advancing mercilessly on her bare, tender legs.

_"Auughh!_ Get away from me, you _verruckt dummkopf!"_ Asuka shrilled as she backpedaled away from PenPen, her eyes focused on his beak and claws.

"Asuka, _watch out!"_ Shinji cried out in warning. Before the German could tell him that that was exactly what she was trying to do, she stumbled against a warm body, and realized too late what the boy was trying to warn her of. All she could was stagger back against Misato, the impact sending them tottering off-balance. The apartment blurred around her as Asuka, Misato, and chair fell over in a tangled mess, crashing to the floor.

_"Arrrrgggh!"_ Misato cried out, sending Asuka jumping up and tumbling off of her. As soon as she was on the floor as well, the German looked to see what damage had been done.

Misato had landed face-first, and was writhing about on the floor, clutching at her forehead. Asuka couldn't see well enough to tell how bad the injury was, but judging by the way she was groaning and writhing on the floor, it hadn't been good.

"_Misato!"_ Shinji cried out as he rushed over to her side.

"Is she alright?" Asuka demanded. Then she heard a wark of concern, and her concern was momentarily forgotten as she looked at the cause of their trouble. "Back off, you stupid bird! This is all _your _fault!" PenPen warked angrily at this, flapping his wings as he leapt up and down. Her hair curling up into devil horns, the redhead snarled, "Knock it off, _dummkopf!_ If you hadn't started this -!"

PenPen shrilled even more loudly at this, advancing on the German even as she clenched her fists. "Would you two _be quiet?"_ Shinji shouted before it could come to blows. The two of them jumped and looked at him, frozen into a sudden silence as the normally timid child knelt down, taking hold of Misato's shoulders. "Misato? Misato, are you alright?"

Marveling at the way Shinji was taking charge of the situation, and wondering in the back of her mind why he didn't act this way more frequently, Asuka watched as he took hold of the Major's wrists, speaking as soothingly as he knew how. "Misato, please, calm down, okay?" Her only response was a series of tormented moans. "Now, let-let me see where you got hit…"

_"Rraaarrrgghh…!"_ Misato growled, her voice sending the hairs on the back of redhead's neck standing straight up. Then the purple-haired woman looked up sharply, allowing both of her wards to get a good look at her face. At which they both gasped in shock.

"_What the -?"_ Asuka cried out as she took in Misato's contorted features. The expression she wore was confused and animalistic at the same time, like a wounded beast. Something made even more horrific by Misato's eyes.

Instead of their normal chocolate brown, they were glowing bright green.

* * *

Misato could see Shinji and Asuka, but she couldn't make sense of what they were saying. She could barely think as a fog wrapped itself around her mind, a fog of pain, rage, and overwhelming power. Her ears were filled with triumphant roaring, as something clawed its way up from the depths of her subconscious.

_Smash,_ a low, horrible voice growled, becoming more and more forceful with each passing second. _Crush, bash, destroy…! _Those were the last things Misato saw before her eyes were filled with green…and she was sent plummeting into darkness.

* * *

_"Rrraaawwwrr!"_ Misato roared savagely. A sound that would have completely paralyzed Shinji if he hadn't already been frozen in shock.

_"Misato?"_ Shinji cried out, aghast at this. Unable to think or move, he could only sit there, looking into the glowing green orbs that had taken the place of Misato's eyes. Eyes that closed as she growled again before flinging herself away from him and Asuka. "Misato, _what's wrong?"_ This question went unanswered as his guardian slammed into a wall. Misato spread her arms out, flinging her head this way and that as she shifted her legs about. "Misato, I – _ack!"_

_"Mein Gott_!" Asuka cried out, which made Shinji realize that he wasn't the only one seeing it. That she could also see glowing green spilling through their guardian's blood.

Unearthly growls and moans tore their way from Misato's throat as she flung herself back down to the floor, catching herself with her hands. But then she quickly pushed herself up, her back bulging beneath her tank-top as her arms momentarily relaxed, then forced her back up again. The Major went up and down, and every time she peaked, Shinji and Asuka could see her back swell that much more, could see her spine cracking and growing beneath her skin.

With one final push, Misato flung herself into a standing position before staggering against the wall. Crying out in pain and rage and triumph, she arched her back even as her breasts swelled up, rapidly ballooning and filling her tank-top to capacity. Shinji's mouth popping open, he then watched as the rest of his guardian's skeleton cracked and shifted, becoming larger and taller, forcing the rest of Misato's body to grow to keep up. And grow it did. Her arms flexed seemingly of their own accord, the biceps exploding into mountains of solid muscle. The cutoffs she wore were already straining to contain her swelling buttocks, and her thighs and lower legs expanded, as if whatever force causing her change was constantly demanding more reinforcement, more muscle, more strength, more endurance.

_Oh, my God…_ Shinji moaned as Misato continued to grow, rapidly going from a few inches shy of six feet to eight feet tall. Her cutoffs growing taut before splitting along the seams while her tank-top stretched horrendously. Finally, the brief shirt exploded before her massive breasts, falling away from her shoulders, landing in a heap with her ruined shorts, leaving the boy confronted with a sight that sent his cheeks burning and his nose bleeding profusely. _They're – I mean, **she's** huge!_

Off in the background, Shinji was aware of Asuka making various noises of fear, that PenPen was warking his horror before retreating to his refrigerator to hide until he woke up from this nightmare. But his focus was always on Misato as she continued to change, her entire body becoming a massive expanse of exquisite muscles as her skin darkened, green spreading across her body. Her hair remained purple, but it grew in proportion to the rest of her body, becoming longer and wilder. All the while, Misato grunted and growled in pain and rage, pleasure and triumph, her face contorted, becoming fiercer, more deadly.

Finally, the convulsions and growth and screams ceased, and the creature that had once been Major Misato Katsuragi of NERV stood before the two children, flexed her muscles, clenched her fists…and roared. All the power made flesh and blood, all the frustration and anger known to humanity, all the lust for battle and destruction, it was all there in that single roar.

"Mi-," Shinji tried, only to let out a gasp of fear and confusion, unable to wrap his mind around what had happened. That the creature that had run rampant through Tokyo-3, shattering buildings and leaving nothing but destruction and fear in her wake…had ripped it's way free of the form of his commanding officer and guardian.

Shaking his head in denial of the reality before him, Shinji watched as Misato stood up straight, only to grunt loudly when she bumped her head against the ceiling. The green giantess growled slightly before bending down so that she could look accusingly at the ceiling, as if mad at it for being so low.

His mouth opening and closing of its own accord, Shinji wanted to run away. He wanted to close his eyes to the horror unfolding before him. But ultimately, all he could do was stammer out, "M-M-Misato?"

At the mentioning of her name, Misato looked at the quavering children, furrowed her brow, as if considering what these strange little creatures were. Snorting light, she cocked her head to the side before starting towards them, her very footsteps causing the floor to tremble. "Wh...what is this?" Asuka spat out, making sure to keep Shinji between herself and the jade giantess that was advancing upon them. "What the hell is happening? _How's this possible?_

"H-how should I know?" Shinji demanded, not daring to look away from the green woman as he slowly backed away from her, hoping that Asuka was doing the same, lest they repeat the disaster that had caused this.

"Well…don't just stand there! _Do something!_" Asuka ordered, her voice shaking too badly for her to sound truly angry.

"Huh?" Shinji squawked, struck speechless by the ludicrous demand made of him. Whipping his eyes from the panicked German to the green Amazon that was looking at them, her lips curled in a dangerous fashion, he incredulously demanded. "W-wait a minute, Asuka! What do you expect _me _to do?"

"I don't know!Just _do it!_" With this final demand, Asuka shoved Shinji straight at Misato. The 3rd Child slammed into a gigantic green leg, and automatically wrapped his arms around it. The force of the impact left him momentarily stunned, for while the beast-woman's skin felt soft and warm, the muscles beneath felt harder than solid rock. Acting automatically, he shook his head in attempt to free it of the stars and comets that were passing before his eyes before dizzily looking up, trying to look into the creature's eyes. Only to have the view obscured by the super-deluxe, green versions of the Best Assets at NERV.

As Shinji was desperately trying not to completely go to pieces, whether because of hormones or pure terror, the emerald Amazon's attention was focused elsewhere. The creature that had once been Misato narrowed her eyes angrily, letting out a growl of disapproval as she looked at Asuka. The German simply froze, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water before the purple-haired giantess leaned forward and casually swatted her away. The redhead instantly flew into the opposite wall, crying out in pain before crashing to the floor.

Sucking in a horrified breath at what the creature, what _Misato _had just done, Shinji jumped back from her. Then a disdainful grunt prompted him to look up at her, and watch as the green woman headed towards the prone German. "Misato, stop it!" Shinji pleaded as Asuka struggled to get back to her feet. But she was still too dazed and in too much pain to do more than watch as the impossible monstrosity came up and grabbed her right forearm. "Misato, no! Don't do it!" the 3rd Child pleaded, rushing up to her side as the creature lifted Asuka up and dangled her in the air before her face. "Please! Let Asuka go!"

The creature didn't respond. It simply stood there as Shinji rushed up to its side, staring dangerously at the German. As for Asuka, her blue eyes were wide with terror as she dangled from the beast-woman's implacable grip. Grabbing hold of Misato's wrist with her free hand, the German puller herself up, easing the strain on her captive wrist. "Misato…" she got out as the creature gently shook her, Asuka's right hand turning white as the blood circulation died. "Please…it hurts…!"

"Stop it, please!" Shinji begged, tears rolling down his cheeks as he once again came up beside Misato. This time, the green woman looked at him, but she did not move. "Misato…please…" he pleaded, his fear and desperation mounting. "Let Asuka go…" For the longest time, the two of them looked at each other, with Shinji staring helplessly into the creature's green irises, more helpless than he had felt in a very long time. But then, after a seeming eternity, something shifted in the creature's visage. The anger and hostility that filled her visage subsided somewhat, and in their place, something else appeared. Shame.

Now it was Shinji's emotions that were shifting, horror and vulnerability shifting to confusion and amazement as a moan of guilt escaped the creature's lips. Looking away from the boy, the green giantess returned her attention to Asuka, and seemed to study for her a time before carefully setting her down. As soon as her feet touched the floor and her arm was free, the German flung herself against the wall and began scooting away, stopping only when she reached a corner. There she stood and quavered, watching Misato with eyes filled with terror.

As the creature let out a low growl of sadness, Shinji stepped closer to her. He didn't even think about it as he raised his hands before him, as if unsure of what else to do with them. "Misato?" he sniffled, looking at the giantess that had once been the closest thing he had to family in his life. As she swung her gaze about to meet his, he saw his own tearful face reflected in her green irises. "W-what's happened to you…?"

Shame and confusion mixed together in Misato's face as she took a step away from the boy. She closed her eyes and snarled in frustration, bringing her hands to her forehead in a gesture of self-loathing. A gesture that was human that it was impossible to mistake it. But before Shinji could act on this tiny realization, the green woman grunted, a spark of fear in her eyes as she turned away from Shinji and started towards the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony. Not even bothering with the door, the emerald Amazon simply stomped her way _through_ the glass, completely ignoring the shards as they rained down across her body.

"Misato?" Shinji whimpered as she stopped before the guardrail, his eyes going wide with horror as she crouched to jump. "Misato, _no!"_ Without hesitation, Shinji rushed out to the balcony, knowing that there was nothing that he could do. Before he even reached the shattered doorway, the green-skinned Amazon leapt off the balcony and plunged to the ground below.

Slamming into the guardrail, Shinji watched helplessly as Misato fell several stories down to the parking lot below. His eyes expanded to take in every moment of the horror, already seeing her demise on the concrete below. And thus were completely unprepared for when the giantess landed feet-first in the apartment parking lot, a huge crater resulting of her landing. A moment later, several car alarms went off, prompting the creature to look about and roar in hatred before running off into the night.

Dumbstruck by what he had just seen, Shinji continued to stand at the guardrail, watching as the beast-woman leapt into the night sky, a leap that carried her over the top of the nearest building. When she disappeared from sight, the boy took a limp step backwards, barely able to support his own weight. "No way…" he gasped, shaking his head in denial. "No way…" Staggering away from the guardrail, Shinji turned back towards the disaster area that his home had been transformed into. Gulping loudly, he screwed his eyes shut and clenched his fists.

_I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away,_ _I mustn't run away…_ he thought to himself, time and time again. And he continued to think this for almost a minute, until at last he felt somewhat stabilized, at least enough to be able to focus on doing something other than curling up in fear.

After what felt like an eternity, Shinji felt his heartbeat slow to a more controlled rate, and his mind was somewhat calmer. Opening his eyes again, he rushed into the living room. "Asuka!" he called out to the German girl, who was still huddled in the corner, cradling her arm. "Are you alright?"

Asuka just looked at Shinji with eyes filled with desperate disbelief. "Wh-what…?" she got out. "What the hell's going on?"

Shinji didn't have an answer to this. He didn't have the slightest clue what was going on. All he knew was that something had happened to Misato, something horrible, and that if he stopped to think about it, he was sure that he would freeze up again, and that nothing short of the Third Impact would be able to stir him from his anguish. He had to keep going. He had to _do_ something. And now that he was satisfied that Asuka hadn't been seriously injured, he started moving again.

Making everything up as he went along, Shinji rushed to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of large towels. Then he whipped into his room, and retrieved a duffel bag he used for his gym clothes. Hastily emptying it, he stuffed with the towels, as well as a large flashlight. Looking over his supplies, and sparing a moment to make certain that he had his cell phone, he rushed out of his room and headed towards the kitchen.

"Wait!" Asuka cried out before Shinji could reach the hall leading to the apartment door. "Wh-where are you going?"

"I have to go, Asuka!" Shinji returned as he looked towards her, his body shaking with nervous energy. "I have to go find Misato!"

Asuka stared incredulously at the boy for the grand total of five seconds before exploding. "_What?"_ she shrieked, her jaw clattering to the floor. "Did you forget what just happened, Third? That…that _monster_ could have killed us both!"

"No, she wouldn't!" Shinji countered forcefully, suddenly sure of it. "I…I don't know what's happening, to her, but…she's not a monster, Asuka!" As the German stared blankly at Shinji, he flashed back to the shame and guilt she had displayed, even locked in her bestial form. He had seen Misato in bad ways before, drunk and doing incredibly stupid things because of her impaired judgment, but at the same time, she had never been a hurtful person.

Whatever transformation Misato had gone through, whatever it had done to her mind, she was still capable of guilt, of remorse. Shinji had seen these things as clear as day. Things that a killing beast wouldn't feel, let alone display.

"Oh, really? And what would you call that thing, Third?" Asuka sneered, too scared to be really nasty. "Didn't you see what it did to me? What, do you think that was its way of inviting me out for a drink?"

Wincing at this blow, at the memory of the way the creature had tossed Asuka around like a rag doll, Shinji hissed and tried to remain focused. "I don't know what's going on, Asuka! All I know is that I have to _help her!"_ This said, Shinji started towards the door. He was barely keeping himself together, and was afraid the tiniest thing would cause him to shatter entirely. "Call NERV, and tell them what happened!"

Not giving Asuka the chance to say anything in return, Shinji flung open the apartment door and darted out into the night. Afraid and without an Eva to protect him, without any real plan, he raced towards the elevator, intent on doing whatever he could that night…

* * *

The sound of the door slamming shut signaling Shinji's departure, Asuka stood there and glared in the general direction of the apartment door. "Uh…argh!" she finally growled, desperate to hear a human voice. "What is _with _that dobe baka? Does he _want _to get himself killed? Is that it?"

Wondering what it was about teenage boys that made them so completely stupid, Asuka stood there for a time, listening as sounds of confusion started coming from the other apartments. Then, as if the evening wasn't quite complete, the telephone rang. Jumping about a foot or so straight up at the unexpected noise, the redhead placed her hand over her heart as she stared at the phone like it was some form of alien artifact as it continued to ring. Shuddering with fear and annoyance with each successive ring, Asuka staggered over to the phone and picked it up. "H-hello?"

"Asuka! This is Maya!" came the familiar voice of the bridge tech. "Listen to me! Is the Major there?"

"Uh…" Asuka sputtered out before her brain stalled on her.

"Listen, tell the Major that we've found something important! It's about what happened to her a couple days ago! The situation's worse than we thought! A _lot_ worse!" Maya explained tersely, her voice sharp with barely contained panic. "Look, we're sending an ambulance to bring her to NERV Medical! Tell the Major to wait there for it! And whatever you do, you have to make sure that she stays _calm!_ Do you understand? Do _not_ – for the love of _God!_ – do _not_ do _anything_ to make her _angry!"_

For a few seconds, Asuka just stood there, a short laugh somehow escaping her lips as she stared incredulously at the receiver. Then, as her mind somehow recovered, there was only thing the German could say.

**_"You couldn't have told me that ten minutes ago?"_**

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, things are really hitting the fan now! Please, read and review! And maybe check out my other stories as well?

Now, originally, Asuka had a much larger role in Misato's hulking out in this scene. But after being lectured about my harsh portrayal of the 2nd Child (over and over again), I decided to revise it a bit, and include PenPen in on the incident. This seemed plausible enough, given my experience with cats and what happens should you accidently step on one's tail.

Another tricky part here was Misato's scar, which was eliminated by her first transformation. I knew that I wanted to space out the transformations here a bit, build a bit of suspense, but at the same time, I knew that the instant she realized that her scar was gone, she'd head into NERV Medical, or something else, and that would greatly damage the possibility of another rampage. Needless to say, that simply wouldn't do.

Now, I gave some thought on how to handle this situation, and eventually decided that the easiest way out of this was for Misato to avoid looking at where her scar had been. To check the viability of this idea, I talked to a relative of mine who used to work with elderly and disabled people, and she confirmed that people who have serious scars tend to avoid looking at them, especially those whose scars are a result of a traumatic event, so this seemed to work nicely. True, I remember that scene with Misato studying herself in the mirror in the episode with the 10th Angel, but given the unhappy look on her face, I got the feeling that this was something she didn't do very often. I hope it makes sense.

And now that that's settled, onto the omake!

Omake

Grunting in disgust, Asuka shook her head before shifting about in her chair. "Excuse me, I have to take care of something," she muttered, sliding out of her seat. The German then started towards the bathroom, not really paying attention to anything. Until her foot came down on something other than hardwood flooring, and a horrific shriek filled the apartment.

_"Ack! What the -?"_ Asuka gasped, marginally aware of the others whirling about to see what was going on even as she leapt up on one foot. Looking down to see what had happened, her eyes went wide she saw their resident penguin there, holding his flipper in a very human gesture of pain.

_Oh, _schisse, _this isn't good…_ Asuka moaned inwardly as she realized that she had just stepped on PenPen's flipper. After quickly examining the webbed foot for possible damage, the genetically engineered warm water penguin shifted its eyes on the German. Eyes that held a distinctively malicious glint as his feathers ruffled in a familiar manner.

"Aw, crap," Misato groaned from behind the German.

"Uh-oh…" Shinji moaned. And for once, Asuka couldn't blame him for it. They all remembered what happened the _last _time someone had made the mistake of stepping on PenPen.

All three humans in residence remained frozen where they were, watching in dread as PenPen reached beneath his collar, and pulled out what looked like a simple remote control. "PenPen, no! Please, not that!" Misato pleaded as Asuka blanched with fear. "Think about the mess that'll make!"

PenPen clearly wasn't impressed by this threat, especially in light of the fact that Tokyo-3 was in a state of constant repair, due to the Angel attacks. He held the control in one clawed wing, and raised his other wing above it.

"Aw, c'mon!" Asuka grinned nervously as she looked out the corners of her eyes, searching for some avenue of escape. "You don't wanna do that!"

The low growl that was heard from the penguin assured Asuka that he really _did _want to do that.

"Oh, please, PenPen!" Shinji moaned in imminent defeat. "Not the button…!"

The answer Shinji was got was the avian equivalent of a demented cackle, which was quickly followed by PenPen pressing a large, red button.

"Aw, crap…!" the three humans groaned in unison. Which was followed shortly by the sound of immense thrusters firing, and quickly drawing closer. Before any of them could move, a massive impact shook the building, glass shattering as a huge wind blew through the apartment, filling it with a cloud of dust and debris.

"Oh, _Gott,_" Asuka moaned, knowing full well what was coming next. Sure enough, a massive mechanical hand flew into the apartment and grabbed her. While PenPen worked his remote control with evil glee, the German cried out in protest as she was lifted out of the apartment by a giant robot.

"Aw, great! And I just cleaned up this place!" Shinji groaned woefully.

"And you wonder why I never bothered?" Misato asked before breaking out in a fit of coughing. "I've been putting up with this ever since PenPen got that damned thing!"

"Okay, okay! I get the idea!" Shinji protested before looking out the shattered wall. In the distance, he could see the massive mecha PenPen had summoned dangling Asuka in mid-air, the German screaming in protest. "But where on Earth did PenPen find a used _giant robot _in the first place?"

"At some anime sale. It was from one of those giant robot shows," Misato grumbled loudly as Asuka was tossed around.

"Really?" Shinji frowned before looking at the robot. It was kind of like a Gundam, but one of the fancier ones. "I don't recognize the robot from TV. Which show was it from?"

"Who knows? I've lost count of the number of giant robot shows that have been made, especially the flops," Misato replied helplessly while the robot wound up for its fastball special, with Asuka as the ball. "Guess I better call Section 2, tell them they're on pickup duty again."

"Okay. And could you get construction team here, too?" Shinji pleaded, wincing at the sound of Asuka being sent flying to parts unknown. "Because I _really _don't want to have to clean up this mess!"

(Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.)


	5. Monster Hunt

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 5: Monster Hunt

"So everything is progressing according to schedule?" Gendo asked as he sat back in his office, looking over various files and data.

"That's right, Commander," came the voice of the harbormaster over the phone. "All the ships in the fleet are up to specs and ready to go. The diving team is fully briefed and ready for just about anything, and the submersibles have been checked and double-checked."

Furrowing his brow, Gendo asked, "And what about the crane and cable? It doesn't do us any good to be able to find our objective if we're unable to retrieve it."

"Not to worry, sir. The cable has a higher grade of tensile strength and elasticity than an Evangelion's power cable. It'll hold, no problem." There was a pause as the harbormaster somehow conveyed the shaking of his head before saying, "I gotta tell you, sir, I really don't understand why you want to inspect the fleet yourself. This is kinda short notice, you know."

"I'm aware of that," Gendo muttered, more than a little annoyed by the harbormaster's flippant manner. "But given the importance of this mission, I've decided to take a personal hand in its preparation." As the Commander opened his mouth to speak again, a soft ringing caught his ears. Frowning as he looked about, he saw Fuyutsuki pulling his cell phone from his coat and open it. "As you know, the success of the Human Instrumentality Project is dependent on our retrieval of this artifact. I don't need to tell you how the Committee would feel if we were to fail for any reason."

"Heh! You don't have to tell me! I've already had the chairman breathing down my neck about it!" Chuckling beneath his breath, the harbormaster made a thoughtful sound before saying, "Well, if you wanna come on down yourself, Commander, then it's no skin off my nose. But mark my words; you won't find so much as a speck of dust that isn't shipshape and ready to set out to the pole whenever you're ready."

"I had better not. For your sake," Gendo muttered before setting down the receiver, his already-furrowed brows becoming increasingly pronounced as he wondered who on earth had been foolish enough to place someone so blatantly flippant in a position of such crucial importance.

Pausing to remind himself that the harbormaster must truly know his duties, or he would never have survived Keel's scrutiny, and that his fate would ultimately be no different from the rest of the sinful sum of humanity, Gendo sat back and focused on his own plans for a moment. _This whole situation feels barely under control,_ the Commander thought with an air of distaste. A great deal had happened that he currently could do nothing about, and though his efforts at damage control were coming along, the fact that he was basically being forced to make things up as he went along was extremely grating, especially after all the work he had done to secure the power and control he presently held. _Still...things seem to be coming along. As long as there are no further surprises, the scenario's progression will go unhindered._

A moment after Gendo had finished thought, Fuyutsuki closed his phone and turned towards his former student. "Ikari…we have a problem."

Gendo was no believer in jinxes. He had always told himself that a man made his own destiny with his own hands. But even he couldn't discount the timing of Fuyutsuki's statement. "What is it, sensei?"

"I just heard from the Section 2 detail I assigned to watch the Major," Fuyutsuki muttered, a worn look on his face. The same one that appeared when the old professor was confronted with a duty that he considered especially onerous, one that had appeared with decreasing frequency since he had first become Gendo's second-in-command. "It seems that your suspicions regarding her have been confirmed."

Sitting upright, Gendo felt himself coming to full alertness and readiness. "What has happened? Has the Major done something of interest?"

"You could say that," Fuyutsuki nodded somberly. "According to the agent in charge of the detail, a giant, green woman just broke out of her apartment." The old man lowered his eyes somewhat before adding, "They also noted that, while this creature is much larger than a human, that it was still recognizable as being the Major."

Narrowing his eyes at his old professor, Gendo frowned as he digested that bit of information. "So…it's true. She and this creature are one and the same." As Fuyutsuki nodded, the Commander frowned even more deeply, taking no pleasure in being right. If anything, this confirmation made matters even more complicated. "What about the 2nd and 3rd Child? What is their status?"

"They're checking on the 2nd now," Fuyutsuki muttered, his voice coming harder and more disapproving. "However, the agent in charge says that the 3rd Child left the apartment shortly after the creature appeared." He paused just long enough for his next words to have even deeper impact. "Judging from the direction he was moving in, he was intent on following her."

A low gust of breath was Gendo's only reaction to this. Though he wasn't particularly surprised by this action on the boy's part, not after his previous displays of concern for the Major, the fact remained that an Evangelion pilot was placing himself in unnecessary danger. Even worse, a pilot that was a crucial part of his scenario, and one that couldn't be replaced. "Alert Section 2. I want the 3rd Child located and brought here as quickly as possible," the Commander muttered as he stood from his seat. "And prepare a special detail for combat. We have to…"

Gendo was cut off by the sound of his telephone ringing. The Commander turned and glared at it for a moment as he considered whether or not he should answer. On the one hand, it was clear that there was a situation developing that he needed to take control of. But on the other, the fact that the call was coming in on his private line quickly limited the number of potential callers, a list of people that wouldn't be calling unless it was something urgent.

Grating at this delay, Gendo looked at the phone like he would rather shoot it before picking up the receiver. "Yes?"

"Commander!" came the voice of Dr. Akagi. "Sir! We have serious problem, sir! It's about Misato!"

Furrowing his brow, Gendo paused before answering, "I take it that you've found proof regarding her connection to the creature?"

"Uh…yes, sir," Ritsuko got out, her voice sounding more forced than the Commander had heard it in some time. "Maya and I…we've confirmed the existence of a mutagenic factor in Misato's cell structure." There was a pause before the doctor added, "You…were right about her, sir. She _is_ the creature."

"What have you learned about her condition?" Gendo demanded, his focus entirely on the doctor and whatever information she had. Information that could well be vital in dealing with this situation.

"The MAGI are still processing the test results now, sir," Ritsuko explained hurriedly. "As for what we've found so far…it'll be easier for me to show you."

Not doubting this, Gendo replied, "Very well. I'm on my way. Send Lieutenant Ibuki away. Use whatever excuse you want, but she had better be gone by the time I arrive." Nott giving Ritsuko to say anything, the Commander placed the receiver done and looked towards Fuyutsuki. "Dr. Akagi has learned something about the Major's condition. Come with me. And contact Captain Chiron."

"Chiron?" Fuyutsuki repeated as Gendo started for the door. "Ikari, are you sure it's wise to involve him?"

"He's the head of Section 2, sensei. He's also the best man we have for this situation," Gendo muttered, knowing full well what his former teacher was implying. "Have him meet us in Akagi's lab immediately." With that, the Commander exited his office, fully aware of Fuyutsuki as he followed close behind. His thoughts already focused on his next move. For while he disliked improvisation, that didn't mean he wasn't capable of it when the need arose.

* * *

As Ritsuko heard the line to the Commander disconnect, she sighed heavily, feeling as if something her gripping at her insides the same way she gripped her cell phone as she closed it. It was a sensation that she was long acquainted with, one that she had learned to suppress and shove out of her way, reminding herself time and again that there was nothing she could do. Unfortunately, as accomplished as she was at this, she knew that there was no reasoning with emotions. And that included guilt.

_There's nothing you could have done,_ Ritsuko told herself once again as she put her phone away. Not allowing her emotions to get the better of her, she turned towards Maya, who was looking dismally at her own cell phone. "I take it that the news isn't good?"

Shaking her head sorrowfully, Maya let her arms flop down helplessly to her sides, looking as if she were barely remaining on her own feet. "Asuka…I tried to warn her, but…" Heaving a deep breath, the young looked at Ritsuko with eyes of despair. "She said…the Major…"

Closing her eyes as she brought her hand to her forehead, Ritsuko opened them again to look up at the holographic displays. Focusing on the one with the green blood cells radiating their dangerous light. "Then…we were too late," she moaned, her words flat and devoid of emotion. "Did Asuka tell you…what happened?"

"Yes." Maya then went into a rough account of the German had reported to her, including how Misato had injured herself, the transformation she had undergone, and how she attacked Asuka before fleeing her apartment. When the narrative was complete and Ritsuko was considering what she had just been told, the young woman's features sagged with despair. "Sempai…you know what this means, don't you?" she asked, her voice rife with disbelief even as she spoke. "Th-that thing on the news…the monster that attacked the subway…it was the Major! It was her, and -!"

_"I know that, Maya!"_ Ritsuko shrilled. Without even realizing what she was doing, she whirled about to drill the techie with her glare, her throat raw with the sheer emotion that had just erupted from it. _"I -!"_ Before she could give voice to another wave of pain and guilt and horror, the rational portion of Ritsuko's mind recovered, and saw the look of terror worn by Maya, the way she had recoiled, and was now trembling like a leaf in a thunderstorm. "I…" the doctor fumbled out, suddenly drained, despite the anguish that remained in her. "I'm sorry, Maya. I…I shouldn't have…"

"Sempai…" Maya whimpered, tears welling up as she pressed her eyes and mouth shut. "I…I'm the one who should be sorry. I…"

Holding up her shaking hands, determined to keep her emotions at a safe distance, Ritsuko heaved a deep breath and muttered, "No. It…I understand. I -!" Exhaling sharply, the doctor shook her head. She couldn't do this. She couldn't allow herself to be waylaid by her feelings, no matter they were. She had to keep her head clear. She had to think like a scientist. "Look, Maya, I…the Commander's coming here for a report on Misato's condition. I want you to go to the bridge, and run a simulation based on the MAGI's analysis of the mutated blood." When the brunette didn't respond, Ritsuko turned towards her, and saw a complete lack of comprehension in her face. "We need to know exactly what we're dealing with here. Run a comparison between Misato's blood cells in their original configuration and their current state, and use that data to create a virtual replication of the transformation process in the rest of her tissues."

"Uh…oh. Eh…okay," Maya sputtered out, barely keeping up with what was happening. But then she recovered somewhat and asked, "But…why go to the bridge? Why not -?"

"Because the Commander is going to call in the rest of the main bridge crew. And I want you to use this data to create a simulation of…what Misato's become." If anything, Maya looked even more stupefied, not that Ritsuko could blame her. "Whatever has happened to her, it's clearly impaired her judgment. The fact that she's already caused as much damage as she has proves that, never mind her attacking Asuka! Which means that right now, she's as much a danger to this city as an Angel."

Her eyes widening in dawning comprehension, Maya gasped before saying, "Wait…you're not saying that -?"

"No. It's not going to come to that," Ritsuko lied with practiced ease. "But we still have to know exactly what we're dealing with here." When Maya showed no sign of being reassured, let alone clearing out before Gendo arrived, the doctor moved up to her and did her best to look poised and in control. "Look, Misato changed back last time. It took time, but she _did _change back. It might just be a case of waiting until she does. But even if that's true, we have to be ready for the worst. Because if what this…thing she's become did the last time is any indicator, then we can't afford to take any chances. And that means we have to know _exactly_ what she's capable of doing in this state." Pausing for a moment, she then placed her hand on Maya's shoulder, and did her best to say just the right thing. "I know this is hard, but we can't just think about Misato. Thousands of people, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, are at risk. And we have to protect them, too."

Lowering her face, Maya frowned tightly before finally nodding. "You're…you're, sempai. I'm sorry. I…wasn't thinking."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Ritsuko told her as earnestly as she knew how. "Now get to the bridge. We've got a lot of work to do, and we have to work fast."

Nodding sharply, Maya darted around the doctor, only to pause halfway to the door. "Don't worry, sempai," she spoke, smiling a smile of deep sympathy. "I'll do my best to help the Major."

"I know you will," the doctor beamed, prompting Maya to smile even more broadly before she departed. Leaving Ritsuko alone, with no one to see her stagger backwards and slump against the wall. Where she looked up at the ceiling, as if looking for some divine hand to smite her out of existence.

_Hundreds of thousands of people. And we have to protect them,_ Ritsuko repeated in her mind, sounding out her own words to herself. It sounded good, she had to admit. It sounded noble, brave, the perfect sentiment for a high-ranking member of NERV to give voice to. But it was all hollow, without heart or feeling. Even to her own ears.

While Ritsuko was shaking her head at herself, reality intruded and forced her to focus on the business at hand. "Dr. Akagi," Gendo spoke crisply as he entered her office, Fuyutsuki just a few steps behind him.

"Commanders," Ritsuko replied, bowing her head to them both before focusing on Gendo. "Sir, there's something you should know. When Maya and I got the results of this test, we tried to contact Major Katsuragi, to let her know that we'd learned something about her condition. But by the time we got through…"

Gendo held up his hand to Ritsuko, stopping her before she could utter another word. "I know. She's transformed again." The doctor's mouth popped open in surprise, and she was about to ask how the Commander had found this out when he answered her unspoken question. "I recently received a report from Section 2, stating that a large, green woman resembling Major Katsuragi recently broke out of her apartment."

A moment passed as Ritsuko studied the Commander. Then she frowned and gave herself a mental kick in the rear, reminding herself that Ikari had ordered a Section 2 detail to monitor Misato. That he would have been aware of her situation the instant she had transformed again. "I see, sir," the doctor muttered, not quite able to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "I…apologize, sir. We…we tried to contact you and Major Katsuragi as soon as possible, but…"

"Apologies are of no use to me, Dr. Akagi," Gendo broke in, his voice colder than ice as he positioned himself to better view the holographic displays. "Now, tell me exactly what we're dealing with."

Pressing her lips together, Ritsuko then nodded and assumed the role of a scientist that she wore so well. "Very well, sir," she spoke as evenly as she could. She then began to explain the preliminary results of their examinations, citing the levels of gamma radiation present in the cells, as well a before-and-after comparison of the cells that showed very clearly how much larger they were than a normal human's, as well as the vastly higher energy potential and the telltale signs of Angelic DNA that could now be seen.

"The reason we never found anything before was because the mutation was dormant until adrenaline was introduced to the blood sample," Ritsuko eventually concluded, unable to conceal the irritation she felt at that failure. "Under normal conditions, the blood cells are identical in appearance and function to normal cells. However, when the mutation is activated…"

As Ritsuko gestured at the facts and figures shown by the MAGI, Fuyutsuki gave her an intense look. "But how is this even possible, Doctor? The levels of radiation indicated in this sample would be instantly lethal by human standards. How did the Major survive such an exposure?"

"There's just one possibility that I can think of," Ritsuko stated, frowning as she spoke. "When Misato was exposed to Second Impact, it's possible that she was mutated by Adam's power, allowing her cells to process enormous amounts of energy. That would explain the presence of Angelic DNA in her system, especially given the extreme similarity between their genetic coding and those of humans." Pausing momentarily to let her superiors process this, the doctor then looked up at the display. "Now, from what I can tell, the mutated cell structure's base metabolism has adapted to be able to successfully regulate the radiation, which appears to be highly diffused and consists of several different frequencies. To put it simply, the energy has been modulated into a form which is much more compatible with organic life, and is easily processed by her physiology."

"An intriguing theory, Doctor," Gendo nodded, frowning slightly. "But this doesn't explain why she hasn't transformed prior to now. If this metamorphosis is triggered by anger, by adrenaline, then…"

"It must've been Adam, sir," Ritsuko explained. "It's possible that the mutation was dormant until Misato came into close proximity with Adam, when she shook your hand." Exhaling sharply, Ritsuko recalled the account given to her that day. "That would explain the fainting spell. If coming into contact with Adam's is what stimulated her mutation, then the disruption to her cellular physiology would have been substantial."

Again, Gendo nodded, and Ritsuko almost see the wheels turning behind his eyes. "So what we have here is a one-in-a-million freak of biological alchemy," he mused. Then, focusing his attention on the doctor, he asked, "That leaves us with just one question, doctor. How do we stop this creature?"

"Actually, sir, we might not have to." An incredulous exploded onto Gendo's face, at which Ritsuko gestured at her data. "We already know that Misato changed back some time after her initial transformation. And given the fact that this change is triggered by adrenaline, then it makes sense that when her adrenaline levels subside…"

"She'll change back again," Fuyutsuki nodded.

"Right," Ritsuko confirmed. "Which means all we have to do leave her alone long enough to calm down, and…"

"And watch this creature savage Tokyo-3 while we do nothing to stop it?" Gendo frowned, his features sharpening with his displeasure. "That's not a viable option, Akagi."

"Until we have a better idea of what Misato is capable of in this state, I can't offer any better options," Ritsuko admitted with a hint of shame. "Especially given her mental state. Remember, she's already attacked Asuka. Therefore, it's likely that she will attack anything and anyone that she perceives as a threat." It was obvious that Gendo still wasn't pleased with this idea, so the doctor tried a different approach. "I've already sent Maya to the bridge to run simulations using this data, to get a better idea of what we're dealing with. She might have something soon. And we can still use the Angel Detection System to track Misato until she reverts."

Making a thoughtful noise in his throat, Gendo frowned intensely before glowering at the Sub Commander. "Do we have a means of subduing the Major without killing her? In the event that she doesn't simply…change back on her own."

"Yes. NERV Medical has a supply of tranquilizer guns and sleeping gas, just in case the pilots experience mental contamination," Fuyutsuki confirmed.

"Make them available to Section 2. I want Katsuragi captured alive, at all costs," Gendo demanded. Then the Commander frowned in afterthought. "Wait. Where is Chiron? He was supposed to meet us here."

_Chiron?_ Ritsuko thought incredulously. Before she could actually say anything, the door to her office opened, and the Section 2 head himself marched in.

"Captain Chiron reporting, sir," announced the tall, dark-haired male as he snapped off a salute to his Commander.

"You're late," Gendo muttered disdainfully.

"Uh, yes, sir," Chiron frowned immediately, shifting his eyes about for a moment. "My apologies, sir, but I had to deal with a minor crisis. Several of my men seem to have been spending too much time reading the tabloids." Gendo continued to study the agent, his face as of stone as the Captain cocked his head and added, "I've been getting reports from people claiming to have seen that creature from the papers. And get this, sir. One of them even said that it's a _woman!_ Honestly, a _woman…!"_ Doing her best not to groan in dismay, Ritsuko continued to stand there and watch as Chiron gave a quick chuckle to that. "Anyway, what is you wanted to see me about, sir?"

"I need a special team prepped and ready for combat, Chiron. Select your best people, have them fitted with body armor, and mobilize a flight of helicopters to patrol the city," Gendo told him easily. "And put all field units on full alert. Have them patrol the city."

"Understood, sir," Chiron nodded, standing up a bit straighter. "And what is that they're looking for?"

"They have two targets. The first of them is the 3rd Child. He's gone rogue and is loose in the city. I want him brought back here immediately." Gendo explained. "But your primary target…"

Frowning somewhat as Gendo trailed off, Chiron hesitated a few moments before asking, "Uh…yes, sir? What about it?"

"It's a woman. A large, green woman. The same one that your men have been reporting to you about," Gendo told him in a matter-of-fact manner. An instant afterward, Ritsuko was treated to the rare sight of absolute shock exploding across the insufferable Section 2 head's face. Commander Ikari allowed him to wallow in that baffled state for several seconds, seeming to wait for the precise moment when Chiron recovered enough to begin ask to repeat this order, at which point he added, "Sub Commander Fuyutsuki will give you the details, and assist in making full preparations. Dr. Akagi and I are going to the bridge, and will give you further orders from there." Glancing in Ritsuko's direction, he paused just long enough to give her a look before starting towards the door.

"Uh…but…uh…" Chiron sputtered out. He probably made further noises of confusion, but Ritsuko had already passed through the door and couldn't hear them. Not that she cared to do so.

* * *

Tokyo-3 was a weird place. Everybody knew it. It was frequently invaded by horrendous monsters, and the site of actual giant robot battles. Buildings popped in and out of the ground, and it was constantly under repair as the crews tried to bring the fortress city back to fighting specs after the previous battle. However, there were certain things that the people who lived and worked there considered to be totally impossible, even by the standards of what was likely the craziest place on the entire planet to live.

"Excuse me, sir? I'm supposed to be looking for a _what?"_ a man by the name of Chiro Hayame spat into his cell phone. As a member of Section 2, he was overworked, underpaid, on call twenty-four hours a day, and trained to follow orders.

That training, however, didn't make it any easier to swallow _these_ particular orders.

"A woman," came the voice of his immediate supervisor, which put him somewhere above your standard field agent and below Captain Chiron and the NERV higher-ups. "She's approximately eight feet tall, heavily muscled with bright green skin. She's running around naked, and is considered to be extremely dangerous."

Sighing, Chiro took a moment to wonder what exactly his superiors were smoking these days before proceeding towards his car. Like just about everyone else in Tokyo-3, he'd heard the stories about the savage monster that had run rampant throughout the city, smashing anything that it had happened to come upon. But like many of them, he'd been certain that those stories had been exaggerated, at least to a degree.

_Besides, a giant green woman? That sounds like something out of a bad science-fiction movie!_ he thought. Rolling his eyes in disbelief, Chiro fed his money into a vending machine, pushed a button, and gratefully retrieved the canned soda that it spat out. "My apologies, sir, but…"

"Those are your orders," his superior insisted. He didn't say 'I don't care how ridiculous it sounds, that's what they're paying you do'. It was in his tone of voice.

"Yes, sir," Chiro replied, letting the hand with the cell phone flop down to his side. Giving a weary sigh as he headed over to the curb where he had parked his car, he paused to look up into heavens, as if searching for sign that he was being punished.

What he saw was exactly what he'd been ordered to look for.

Before Chiro's astonished eyes, a hugely muscled woman fell from the sky to land on top of his car, crushing the roof of it instantly. As the car's alarm went off in response to this assault, the woman's green eyes flared brightly with hatred as she looked down at the ruined vehicle. Chiro was then given a perfect view of the green-skinned she-beast's splendid body as she snarled, reared up and brought her fists down on the car hood. She smashed it again and again, her breasts seeming to dance as she pummeled the car, her fists tearing through metal as if it were paper. Plumes of smoke appeared as she ripped apart the hood and shattered the engine, until at last the alarm wheezed fitfully one last time before falling silent.

The hardened Section 2 agent knew that he probably should draw his gun, order the massive Amazon to surrender. Do something other than allow NERV property to be pounded into tinfoil. But as Chiro stood there, soda in one hand and cell phone in the other, he found that all he could do was stare at the massive beast as she jumped off of the car. Then she bent down and grabbed the ruined vehicle, lifting it without any apparent effort. Growling savagely, she then spun about on her heel once, twice, and with a hateful bellow, the muscle-bound woman then sent the car hurtling into the air.

Stunned speechless, Chiro watched as the shattered wreck tumbled through the air, until it smashed into the 30th floor of a nearby skyscraper. As glass and audibly tumbled into space from the point of impact, the green woman crouched down and roared after it, as if daring the car to be stupid enough to come back and make more noise at her. Then, seemingly satisfied that the ruined lump of metal had learned its lesson, the she-beast turned about and looked at Chiro.

"Agent Hayame! Report! What is going on over there?" his supervisor demanded as the woman stomped closer, examining Chiro as if she was wondering if she should smash him as well. As for the Section 2 agent, all he could do was stare at her amazing breasts, and try not to look dangerous.

Finally, the woman snorted before moving away. His eyes now glued to her posterior, Chiro watched as she picked up speed before leaping into the sky. When she finally disappeared from sight, his eyes rolled back before the Section 2 agent fell flat on his back.

"Report! Agent Hayame!" his supervisor demanded. "What's all the noise on your end? What the hell just happened?

"Found her…" Chiro managed to squeak out before fainting with a nosebleed.

* * *

"Ugh…" Makoto groaned as he traversed the now-familiar labyrinth of corridors, halls, escalators, and elevators that led the way to the heart of NERV. Wishing that he had had time for more than just one of this little bottles of instant energy before he had had to leave for work. "Sometimes, I wonder why in blazes I put up with this crap."

"Try starting with a steady paycheck," replied Shigeru Aoba, one of Makoto's fellow bridge techs.

Groaning even more deeply at this, Makoto slouched forward, not giving a damn about the fact that his uniform looked like a mess and that he was even worse. He had just been heading to bed after yet another long day's work, exhausted and looking forward to a full night's sleep when the phone had started ringing off the hook with word that he was being called in. "Did they tell you what this is all about?"

"Eh, all they told me is that there's some big emergency," Shigeru replied dismissively.

"That's all I got, too." Shaking his head, Makoto let out a big yawn before continuing. "So…what kind of Eldritch Abomination of an Angel are we going to have to deal with this time?"

"Huh?" Shigeru got out, furrowing his brow at his companion. "What makes you think it's an Angel?"

Holding up his hands as if the answer should be self-explanatory, Makoto answered, "Well, what else could it be?" When Shigeru failed to say anything to this, the bespectacled otaku shrugged. "I just hope we manage to kill this one on the first try."

"Yeah, right. And what are the chances of _that_ happening?" Shigeru muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, a guy can hope, can't he?" Makoto remarked. Shigeru didn't bother to comment on this as they appeared on the bridge. Despite the lateness of the day, the place that was the hub of NERV's efforts to defeat the Angels seemed to be going full blast. Techs were running around this way and that in a state of controlled chaos, with a holographic display of the city in place. People were speaking in a low, hushed voice that meant business, and Maya was already at her station, working feverishly. And at the center of it all, Dr. Akagi and Commander Ikari stood conversing.

"Whoa," Shigeru muttered, his eyes widening as the two of them started towards their stations. "Looks like you called it, Makoto. Even the brass is here." Makoto didn't say anything to this, mainly because he would have been just as happy to have been wrong.

As the two of them moved towards their stations, the two techies could make out one particular conversation. "So she didn't attack him?" Ritsuko asked, sounding scared and hopeful at the same time. "She didn't hurt him at all?"

"Apparently not. He was unconscious, but there wasn't a mark on him," Gendo responded, his entire face seeming as of stone. "However, she completely destroyed his car. Section 2 found what was left of it on the 30th floor of a nearby building."

_Huh? Since when do they refer to Angels as 'she'?_ Makoto wondered, raising an eyebrow at this. The geeky tech considering the matter for a moment, but ultimately dismissed his question, certain that he would find out what was going on soon enough.

As Makoto took his position, Shigeru sat back and eyed the third member of their trio. "Hey, Maya! I see you beat us here," he smiled watching as she worked frantically. "So, uh…any idea what this is -?"

"Please, not _now!"_ Maya hissed, giving the two of them a good look at her face. Makoto was stunned to see that her eyes were bloodshot, her face was seemed and lined with exhaustion, and her hair and uniform were an even bigger mess than either of the male techies. As the two of them recoiled from her manner and appearance, the female tech looked over her shoulder at their superiors. "Commander, doctor? The data is ready, and the MAGI have finished generating a simulation of the Major."

Makoto was given a fraction of a second to process this, another fraction for his eyes to bulge in response to his brain crashing. As he looked at his fellow tech and saw look that matched his condition on Shigeru's face, Ritsuko responded, "Thank you, Maya. Commander?"

"Attention, everyone," Gendo spoke, his authority crashing down upon the heads of everyone there. "As you already know, you were called here in response to an emergency situation. However, until now, you have probably acted under the assumption that it was another Angel attacking." Shigeru and Makoto glanced at each other, shaken by this latest surprise, and they weren't the only ones. Across the bridge, people were looking at each other and the Commander, sounds of confusion echoing through the air. "However, the situation is more complicated than that. Because the enemy we're dealing with is – or was - human. In fact, it was one of our own."

_One of our own?_ Makoto repeated as he slowly caught up with the situation. Then his eyes bugged as he flashed back to something Maya had said. _Wait…does that mean – no way!_

Even as Makoto was telling himself that his barely-formed idea was simply not possible, the Commander confirmed it. "Major Katsuragi has been afflicted with an Angelic mutation. One that has caused her to transform into a mindless beast, one potentially as destructive as the Angels themselves, and is responsible for the rampage that took place several days ago."

"What?" Makoto heard someone yelp. "You mean that…the _Major_ is that hulking thing?"

"That is correct," Gendo intoned, turning a deathly glare upon the person responsible for interrupting him. As Makoto briefly pictured that unfortunate idiot turning to stone and crashing to the floor, shattering into a million pieces, the Commander then looked at Ritsuko. "Doctor?"

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko nodded before stepping forward. "Now, I'm sure all of you have heard many accounts of what happened that day, as well as of the creature that…Major Katsuragi has become. But it's important that you all understand exactly what it is we're dealing with." Glancing at Maya, the doctor went on to say, "To that end, Lieutenant Ibuki has prepared a simulation of Major Katsuragi's current form, based on a sample of her mutated cellular structure. This should give you a rough estimate of this creature's capabilities. Maya?"

"Right." Not bothering to look at her superiors, Maya focused entirely at her station. A moment later, the display of Tokyo-3 vanished, and was replaced by an analytical display. A beat passed, and a 3-D representation of Misato appeared on it.

"Now this is Major Katsuragi as she appeared normally," Ritsuko explained. "And this is a simulation of what her mutated form might look like, based on the MAGI's analysis." A moment later, a massive green woman seemingly made of solid muscle appeared on the screen, drawing gasps of surprise and astonishment. Noises that grew even more pronounced as the MAGI displayed their estimates of her potential strength, speed, and stamina.

"No…way…" Makoto stammered, his eyes expanding at the sight of the massive woman.

"You've gotta be kidding!" Shigeru protested, his voice low with astonishment. "Those numbers _can't_ be right! It's just not possible!"

"I assure you, these calculations are as accurate as we can make at this time," Ritsuko answered grimly. "Making matters even worse is that this creature has already attacked one of the Children. Pilot Sohryu is mostly unhurt, but judging by her account, Major Katsuragi's mind has also been affected by her metamorphosis. We can't be sure to the extent her mind has been impaired, but the fact remains that she is presently running loose in the city, and is completely out of control. And we have to find some way of neutralizing her, before she attacks someone else."

"But – wait a minute!" Makoto got out. "Dr. Akagi, how is this possible? An Angelic mutation? When did this -?"

"If you'll be patient, Lieutenant Hyuga, I will explain," Ritsuko countered impatiently. With that, she gave the cliffs notes version of what she and Maya had discovered, including Misato's exposure to Adam during Second Impact to the impact of Jet Alone and the radiation. She also showed them the data regarding her recent findings, and had Maya call up a recording of Misato's blood reacting to the presence of adrenaline. "Given our present information, it's safe to assume that Major Katsuragi will revert back to her human form once she's metabolized the adrenaline in her system. But until she does so, she is to be considered extremely dangerous, and likely to attack anything she comes across."

"And that is why you are all here," Gendo announced. "Dr. Akagi has determined that the Major's mutant form gives off a distinct pattern, one that the MAGI can detect. So we not only need to locate this creature, but keep track of her location." Giving this a moment to sink in, the Commander turned about to study his people before continuing. "For this operation, we will be coordinating with Section 2.

If she approaches a populated section of the city, we will alert Section 2 so that they can drive her away from it. But if we find her pattern and it disappears, this will mean that the Major has changed back to her human form. In that case, we will route Section 2 to her general position, so that they can capture her before she causes any further damage. Is that understood?"

A chorus of 'yes, sirs' was heard, afterwards Ritsuko announced, "Very good. I'm sending each of you the exact pattern that Misato's mutant form generates. It's tricky to find unless you know exactly what you're looking for. Maya, would you…?"

As Ritsuko interacted with her understudy, Makoto sighed and sank back into his chair. "I still can't believe this…" he moaned dismally as he brought his hand to his temple. "I can't believe that we actually have to help hunt down _Major Katsuragi_, of all people…!"

"Hey, I know what you're saying, but you heard what they said! The Major…she's not a human being anymore!" Shigeru replied helplessly, staring at the massive numbers that signified her potential power. "She's that thing they were talking about on TV. That…hulking monster or whatever it is they called it."

"A hulking monster…" Makoto repeated numbly as he looked up at the simulated creature displayed before them. "A hulk…" Then NERV's resident otaku grinned stupidly as he examined the exquisite curves of the simulated monster. A creature that looked like she had popped out of the anime and manga that he loved so much. "A totally sexy She-Hulk!"

* * *

As Captain Iwao Chiron watched his troops arm themselves for battle, taking the tranquilizer guns and rounds that Fuyutsuki had dug up for them, he couldn't help but have mixed feelings about his current mission.

What he felt first and foremost was anticipation of being able to go into action personally. His position at NERV, while good money, also meant long hours and excessive amounts of paperwork. And even worse, it gave him little opportunity to go out into the field personally, to see actual combat for himself. And it had been a long time since he had the pleasure of slitting someone's throat or battering them into surrender, and giving them a few extra kicks just for the fun of it.

The second thing he felt was annoyance, because this job wasn't going to allow him the deeper pleasures of his chosen profession. There wasn't going to be any blood and guts, no taking captives and interrogating them. There was the chance of battle, but his primary mission was to tranq their quarry and bring her back to base, safe and unharmed so the Commander could do whatever he wanted with her.

But even as he felt these things, the third and foremost sensation he was experiencing kept a grin on his face as he supervised his troops, as he mobilized the additional teams and helicopter units for pursuit and potential battle. And the sensation was the sheer pleasure he felt in the knowledge that he was finally going to take Misato Katsuragi down and put her in her place.

_I never thought I would ever get this lucky! _Chiron thought, recalling the briefing given to him by Fuyutsuki regarding their target. A briefing that had left him initially stunned, but ultimately had him salivating in delight. _NERV's resident slut has gone nuts, and the Commander needs me to take her down!_

Chuckling as he held up his tranq rifle, making sure that it was fully armed and ready for action, Chiron paused to imagine the look of horror that Misato would have when he put a dart between her implants. How or why Commander Ikari had been foolish enough to letting a self-absorbed, drunken whore like her advance in the ranks when there were plenty of men who were infinitely more capable of handling an important position like hers was beyond him. Any fool could have known that making her Operations Director could only end in disaster. Though he had to admit that even he could never have imagined that inevitable disaster being quite as spectacular as this.

_Oh, well. So much the better, I say!_ Chiron finally decided before turning towards his troops and getting down to business. "Alright, people. You've all been briefed on our target and objectives. Echo Units will be tasked with monitoring the target's movements, and herding it away from populated areas should the need arise. As for the rest of us, we'll be searching the city for the creature with assistance from the bridge. If the creature should revert back, we'll be routed to her position, at which point we will take her down. If we find her on our own, then we take her down the moment we find her." Cocking his weapon, the Section 2 man smiled grimly before adding, "However, if for some reason tranquilizers should prove to be…ineffective…I've already arranged for superior ordinances to be placed in your vehicles."

As the agents under his command chuckled, clearly hopeful that they would have the opportunity to make use of such weaponry, Chiron paced the lineup of agents. "We need to be ready to move the instant we get confirmation of the target's position. Commander Ikari wants her down and back here without incident. Is that understood?" At the sound of the many 'yes, sirs', the Section 2 head grinned. "Very well. Oh, and there's…just one more thing." Fixing his men with a steely glare, Chiron cradled his weapon in his arms and took a meaningful step closer to them. "If she changes back, then I'll be the one taking the shot. Anybody tries to take that from me, then he's dead. Is that understood?"

Chiron's answer was silence, the kind of silence that was heard when in the wake of pure fear. But that was fine by him, because when people feared you, they did whatever it was you wanted. "Alright, then. Let's bag this slut already." With this decree, his men went into motion, heading for their vehicles as the Captain again pictured that moment in his mind. "Your ass is mine, bitch."

* * *

"Kaji!" Asuka squealed in delight. Without hesitation, she darted over to the unshaven man's side and wrapped her arms about his own. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, actually," Kaji responded good-naturedly. "Ritsy called me, told me about what happened at the apartment, so I decided to drop by here on the way to the bridge." Cocking his head to the side, he pressed his hand against her cheek, gently shifting her head so as to look at it from a different angle. "Well, you don't look any worse for the wear. I have to admit, when I heard that you'd been taken to NERV Medical, I was expecting a lot worse."

Asuka instantly rolled her eyes to this, despite the fact that she wasn't surprised by this. Finding out that someone you cared for was in the hospital didn't give a person warm and fuzzy thoughts, as she had learned the hard way. "I'm fine, Kaji-kun." Then she frowned somewhat and asked, "So…did Akagi tell you…what happened?"

"She did," Kaji confirmed, his smile fading instantly. "But...I'm having a hard time believing it. That Katsuragi…is she really…?"

"She is. Believe me, she _is!"_ Asuka returned in a voice that was somewhere between an irritated growl and confused wail. "She almost killed me, Kaji-kun! If you could have only seen that ugly _thing _she's become…!"

"So I gather," Kaji nodded. Freeing his arm from Asuka's grip, he then wrapped about her shoulders. "Look, why don't we sit down for a little while," he began gently, directing her towards the bed she'd been lounging on, "and you tell me what happened?"

"Okay," Asuka responded, not having any better ideas. Besides, if it meant getting to spend time with _Kaji,_ then it was okay by her. So without hesitation, the German allowed herself to be ushered to the bed, and as soon as the two of them were seated, she relayed to Kaji everything that had happened that evening. She relayed to him how Misato had gone crashing to the ground all because of PenPen, and transformed into a hideous, muscle-bound freak. How the monstrous woman had beaten her and very nearly ripped her arm off before deciding to go rampage someplace else, with Shinji following her like the idiot he was. "Anyway, Section 2 showed up a few minutes later - too late to do any good, of course! – and then they insisted on bringing me here!" she concluded, gesturing at the room they were in. "I _told _them that I didn't need to go to a hospital, but you know how those morons are!"

"Yeah," Kaji sighed, well aware of the German's point. Your standard Section 2 agent was a capable fighter who knew how to shoot, but with few exceptions, that was about all the rocks in their heads were capable of. "But...are you sure you're okay? Sounds like you took quite a beating, and…"

"Hey, you don't have to worry about me!" Despite the fact that Asuka was pleased by the level of concern being shown her, the last thing she wanted was to appear weak to her crush. "I'll be just fine, Kaji-kun." Then she grabbed hold of his arm again and pulled herself tightly against him. "Especially now that _you're _here!"

A gentle smile curled Kaji's lips. "Hey, its okay, Asuka," he told here. Then he looked up at the surrounding room and asked, "Say, uh…has anyone been down here? You know, to ask you about what happened to you?"

"Huh?" Asuka frowned, a bit surprised by this question. "Why, no." When Kaji raised an eyebrow at this, the German sighed and added, "The only people I've seen so far were a doctor and a couple of nurses. Why?"

As quickly as he could, Kaji relayed to Asuka NERV's efforts to track down Misato. "Now, Section 2 has been sent out to bring her in, but I don't think they're going to be enough, and..."

"NERV's Keystone Kops? Against _that _thing?" Asuka spat out, incredulous at the idea. "You better _believe_ they won't be _enough!_ That green thing will eat them alive and spit out the bones!"

"Uh…" Kaji frowned somewhat. "Uh, right. So…what I'm saying is that…if we're going to have any chance of helping Katsuragi out here, then we need to know as much about what she's…she's become. And we're going to need your help with that, Asuka. We need you to help us…help her."

Asuka's initial impulse was to ask if Kaji had well and truly lost his mind. Why would he want to help a savage monstrosity that had so easily brutalized her, had caused so much destruction? But then she remembered that he hadn't seen the monster that had attacked her. That in his mind, this creature was still Misato, and while she didn't understand what he saw in her, she did know that he did feeling something for the purple-haired woman. And the idea of someone he cared for becoming a mindless horror was something that he could not possibly understand.

"Well…okay," Asuka finally muttered with mixed feelings. "So…what do you want to know?"

"What happened back at the apartment, Asuka?" Kaji asked in a harder voice than she was accustomed to hearing from him. "After Katsuragi transformed. I need you to tell me _exactly _what happened afterwards."

Rolling her head to the side, Asuka gave a helpless shrug before saying, "Well, it's like I said. It smashed me against the wall before grabbing me by the arm. And then the Third, he…he tried to talk it into letting me go, and…"

"And did she?" Looking up at this interruption, Asuka saw Kaji looking intensely at her. "Did she put you down when he asked her?"

"Well…yeah," Asuka finally admitted. "Anyway, she and Shinji…they just stood there, staring at each other before she took off." Kaji averted his eyes at this, leaving the German puzzled. "Why? Is that important?"

His eyes narrowed and sparking intensely, Kaji nodded. "It could be," he spoke before getting to his feet. "C'mon, Asuka. We have to get to the bridge."

"The bridge?" Asuka repeated incredulously as Kaji helped her to her feet. "But why?"

"Because you just might have given us the answer!" Kaji told her even as he urged forward.

* * *

"Commander! Dr. Akagi!" Makoto called out, drawing both their attention. "I think I've got something here!"

"What is it?" Ritsuko asked. "Have you detected Misato's pattern?"

"I – I think so!" Makoto reported, his voice shaking with excitement as he worked. "It's kinda tricky, like you said, but…I think I've got it!" The geeky tech continued to work at his station before looking up at the holographic display with a map of Tokyo-3. "I'm bringing it up…now!"

A beat passed, and a large, orange blob appeared before the doctor, along with a readout on the various forms of energy that the MAGI were detecting. "That's it!" Ritsuko exclaimed as she turned towards Gendo. "It's a perfect match for the data recorded during the previous attack, sir. It has to be Misato."

"Agreed," Gendo intoned, his features tightening as he studied the map. "Can you lock in on her exact position?"

"Uh…I don't think so, sir," Makoto replied, a heavy frown in his words. "This pattern is pretty crazy. All I can tell you is that the Major is in there somewhere, and that's about it."

"That's not good enough, Lieutenant," Gendo responded, shooting an icy glare at the otaku that very nearly froze him in place. "We need a _precise_ lock on this creature's location."

"Right, sir!" Clearly knowing better than to try and argue with the Commander, Makoto swiveled about to look at one of his fellow techs. "Maya, could you gimme a hand here?"

As Maya agreed and moved in to assist, Gendo turned towards the remaining member of that trio. "What about you, Lieutenant Aoba? Has there been any unusual activity on the emergency bands?"

"Negative, sir. There's nothing happening on the police band, and the fire department isn't doing anything, either," Shigeru reported. "Whatever the Major or creature or whatever-she-is is doing, she's being really quiet about it."

As she processed this bit of information, Ritsuko found herself frowning. "Something isn't right here, sir," the doctor spoke, saying this as much to herself as she was to the Commander. "This isn't the same as the last time she transformed. This isn't another rampage."

"Apparently not," Gendo muttered, clearly not pleased by this. Not that this was surprising; it had been his idea that perhaps they could better track Misato by monitoring police and emergency communications, locking in on the places she attacked as she made her way through the city. "But why not? What's different this time?"

Ritsuko didn't say anything to this, mainly because she didn't have an answer herself. Computers and technology she understood, she was familiar with human and Angelic physiology, and had a fair understanding of the processes that fueled the power of the Angels, but human thinking and emotions tended to be a mystery wrapped in an enigma. "I can't say, sir. We don't even know what provoked her _last _transformation, or what's going on in her mind right now. And without knowing that…"

Trailing off, Ritsuko returned her attention to the map display. Even as she watched, the orange blob moved, covering several square blocks as it stretched into another section of the city. As she tried to make sense of this movement, or at least think of some way of better pinpointing the creature's location, a door slid open behind her. "Commander Ikari, Ritsuko," came Kaji's voice. Turning about, the doctor watched as he approached, with Asuka walking alongside of him.

"Kaji, what are you doing here?" Ritsuko demanded crossly, not in the mood to deal with anything more than that what she already had on her plate. "And Asuka? You should be resting! You -!"

"Uh, Rits? Can we save the lectures for later?" Frowning sharply, Kaji looked about the bridge. Then he paused, his eyes widening as he said, "Oh, damn…what is…is that…?"

Furrowing her brows, Ritsuko turned to follow his gaze, and found herself looking at the display showing both Misato and the simulation of her transformed state. "That's the MAGI's best guess as to what Misato looks like right now."

"Good guess," Asuka muttered gruffly. "It's almost as ugly as the real thing." Shaking her head, the German looked pleadingly at her crush. "Kaji, I still don't get it! What are we doing -?"

"Just give me a second here, Asuka, okay?" Not giving the German a chance to protest, Kaji asked, "Listen, have you been able to find Katsuragi yet?"

"Not yet." Frowning intently, Ritsuko recounted their efforts so far. "Anyway, it's like I told you; the MAGI can detect her mutant form's pattern, but it spans several square blocks. And Section 2 hasn't had any luck spotting here." The faux-blonde then shook her head and asked, "Kaji, what's this all about? What are you doing -?"

"I have an idea, Ritsuko. I think I know a way for us to find Katsuragi," Kaji informed her.

"Really?" Turning about, Ritsuko saw Gendo focus the icy-cold light reflecting off his glasses towards the others. "And what makes you think that?"

"Because I still think that there might be some of Katsuragi still inside that thing." Not wasting a moment, Kaji turned towards the German, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Asuka, tell them what you told me. About what happened after she changed."

Though it was clear that she didn't understand where Kaji was going with this, Asuka gave a slight shrug before speaking. She explained the exact circumstances behind Misato's transformation, as well as how she attacked the German, only to release her at Shinji's heeding. "And that's when she took off," Asuka concluded, shrugging again. "Kaji-kun, what's this have to do with anything, anyway?"

"That's what I want to know, Ryoji," Gendo frowned dangerously.

"My point is this. That this thing that we're dealing with is still Katsuragi. Her mind may be screwed up by what happened to her, but she's still Katsuragi." Turning back towards Ritsuko, he looked at her intently before saying, "Now you said that she hasn't attacked anyone so far. That she hasn't destroyed any buildings or any of that, and that no one has seen her since she ran into that one agent, right?" The doctor nodded, to which Kaji returned his attention to the Commander. "Then that might mean that she's not trying to attack anyone or anything. It could be she's trying to hide."

"Hide?" Gendo repeated. "From what?"

"Think about it. Katsuragi ran off after letting Asuka go. And even assuming that whatever's happened has messed up her mind, it's still her in there. And if there's anything I know about Katsuragi, it's that the last thing she wants to do is hurt the children." Pausing to take a breath, Kaji looked between the two of them, as if organizing his own thoughts. "Now, maybe when she hurt Asuka, it was an accident. Maybe she just doesn't know her own strength. And when she saw how much she had scared Shinji and Asuka -!"

"Hey! I was _not _scared!" Asuka broke in irritably.

"– she did the only thing she could think of doing. She ran away so that she wouldn't frighten them or possibly hurt them again," Kaji concluded. "This isn't a destructive monster we're dealing with here. We're dealing with a woman who's caught up in a nightmare, and is possibly scared and ashamed and who knows what else."

His features tightening in concentration, Gendo considered this for a time. "If that were true, why the attack on that agent?"

"Maybe it wasn't an attack, Commander," Ritsuko spoke as something occurred to her. "This creature is moving about by jumping from one spot to another. Now, given the distance of her leaps, it's very easy to assume that she can't see exactly where she'll land except after she jumps. In that case, it could be that she landed on his car purely by accident."

"Then why did she go on to completely destroy his car?" Gendo asked.

"Because she's out of her mind?" Asuka suggested snippily.

"I can't tell you that, sir," Ritsuko admitted. "But still, what Kaji's saying makes sense. And it would explain why Section 2 hasn't been able to find her. Because she doing everything she can _not _to be found."

Gendo paused to study Ritsuko, and the doctor could practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes. "Even if that's the case, I still don't see how this helps us find her. Let alone capture her."

"That's easy, Commander. It's like I said; this thing is still Katsuragi. And that means we have to stop thinking of her as some out-of-control monster, and start thinking of her like a person." Smiling like a mad genius, Kaji looked up at the map. "Now Asuka said that Shinji ran out there to try and find her. Has Section 2 seen him anyplace?"

"No. There's been no sign of the 3rd Child," Gendo reported, an undercurrent of irritation to his words. "But what does he have to do with this?"

"Because Katsuragi cares about him. I know that. And the fact that she listened to him when he told her to let Asuka go says that she still recognizes him, listens to him," Kaji explained, his energy and enthusiasm growing. "Now, right now that kid is running around the city, trying to find her. And I say we help him do just that."

_"What?"_ Asuka squawked incredulously. The three of them and several of the bridge crew turned as two tufts of the German's red hair curled up to form perfect devil horns. "Are you out of your minds? That thing will rip the Third to pieces! And then it'll _eat _the pieces!"

While Ritsuko was wincing at this implication and the image it conjured up, Gendo raised an eyebrow at Kaji. "The 2nd Child has a point, Ryoji. What you're suggesting is extremely dangerous. If the 3rd Child encounters this creature, she could very easily kill him. Even if she doesn't intend to. Remember, we still don't know what provoked her initial rampage, and if she should start rampaging again, the results could be disastrous."

"On the contrary, now that we know who we're dealing with, I think it's pretty obvious what caused her to go crazy that first night," Kaji smiled suggestively. "Another bad dream."

Picking up on his tone, Ritsuko winced, suffering an overwhelming desire to boot herself to the moon. "Of course, that makes sense. She was asleep when we left her alone in the subway car," she muttered, nodding in thought. "If she had another nightmare, then that could easily have resulted in enough adrenaline being pumped into her system to trigger the transformation."

"Exactly. And it's like you said, Ritsy; Katsuragi mad and drunk is like throwing gas on an open fire," Kaji stated.

Frowning heavily, Ritsuko quickly considered the situation. What Kaji was saying made a great deal of sense. Too much sense for her to simply discount what he was saying offhand. But at the same time, there was no arguing against the fact that trying to direct Shinji to Misato's location while she was in that state would be a serious gamble on their parts. And if they lost, then they would lose the use of Unit 01, something they simply couldn't afford. Caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, the doctor looked up sharply when the Commander asked, "Dr. Akagi, your opinion?"

A choked sound escaped her throat as she spared a moment to wonder why he was bothering to ask her opinion. But as Ritsuko found herself fixed by the soulless light in the Commander's glasses, she sighed and considered the situation. "It is…possible, sir. We haven't managed to find Misato ourselves, and even if she transforms back right now, without a precise lock on her position, that leaves us with a large area to search for her in. Especially if Kaji was right and this thing has holed up someplace where she couldn't be easily spotted. And if she reverts back to herself, then there's no telling how she'll react to finding herself alone and unclothed again."

"In which case, it would be likely that she would quickly transform again. Possibly leaving us worse off than we are now," Gendo muttered.

"Exactly. And then there's the danger of someone finding her before Section 2 can," Ritsuko admitted as she considered the matter further. "Asuka, tell me, does Shinji have a cell phone?"

"Huh?" Asuka started, raising an eyebrow at this. "Well, of _course _the baka has one! He got it after that big blackout!"

Ritsuko nodded as Asuka eliminated a major problem in this plan. If they couldn't contact Shinji to lead him where they needed him to go, then any further discussion of that plan would have been meaningless. "Alright, then. I'll call Shinji, advise him of what we want him to do. Tell him the general area where Misato's in," she decided, hoping that she wasn't making a grave mistake. "I'll also tell him to keep his line open. That way, if something unexpected should happen…"

"Then we can send Section 2 directly to his location," Gendo nodded. "Very well, Dr. Akagi. You may proceed."

* * *

After running about Tokyo-3 for who knew how long, Shinji was running of steam and ideas very quickly. His lungs were on fire and his legs felt as if they were made of rubber, and were getting rubberier by the moment. And with both lungs and legs on the verge of collapse, no matter how much he continued to push them, Shinji found himself staggering, pulled off-balance by the duffel bag he was carrying. Unable to help himself, he fell against the side of a nearby building. As soon as he felt the cool, metal wall against his body, his body shuddered and his legs failed entirely. Leaving him unable to do anything but slide down to the ground, tears of exhaustion and misery rolling down his face.

When had disappeared into the night, Shinji had been forced to guess where she might have gone. So far, he had tried Ritsuko's home, Kaji's place, and several restaurants he knew she liked to hang out at on occasion. He hadn't bothered with NERV, for the simple reason that if she went there, then there would be plenty of people better equipped to handle this mess than he was.

Without any idea of where else he could go, Shinji had kept running, looking in every direction he could for the green creature that had once been guardian. He had forced himself to keep moving, no matter what, because if kept his mind busy. It kept him from thinking that there simply might not be enough left of the Misato he had known for him to predict where she might go. That there might be a repeat of the rampage that had left several parts of Tokyo-3 in shambles. And it kept him from thinking what NERV might be forced to do to stop the creature.

Even as Shinji lay there, trying to regain the strength he needed to keep going, keep running and searching, his mind conjured up horrific images to taunt him and send him into despair. Images of JSSDF jets and helicopters swooping in, bombarding Misato with missiles and weapons of mass destruction. Images of the Evas rising up to snatch Misato up in their implacable grips before crushing her. Images that were made that much horrible by the fact that every time he saw her die in his mind, it wasn't as the green creature she had become, but rather as the playful woman that had given him a home.

As Shinji lay there, vainly trying to force his mind to stop belching up these nightmarish visions and to come up with a plan, something else to do, he was very nearly sent jumping out of his skin by a loud ringing. His eyes wide with shock, he looked wildly about for the source of the noise, only to gasp in relief and humiliation when he realized it was cell phone ringing. Looking down towards his phone in wearied exasperation, he gave serious consideration to ignoring it until whomever was calling him gave up and left him alone. But as the ringing continued, he sighed in defeat, and with his hands shaking with exhaustion, he drew the phone from his pocket and answered. "H-hello?"

"Shinji?" came Ritsuko's voice. "Shinji, where are you?"

"Akagi-san!" Shinji cried out, taking firmer hold of the cell phone like it was a lifeline. Never before so grateful to hear the voice of a mature adult, someone who could tell him what to do. "Listen, I…Misato…you see -!"

"We already know," Ritsuko answered, the sadness in her voice plain as day. "Asuka told us what happened. I…I'm sorry, Shinji."

_She knows. She already knows,_ Shinji thought wearily. Then he sighed, his exhausted mind recalling how he had told Asuka to do just that, something very nearly fainting relief. Because now he had someone to help him, to tell him what he should do. "I…I've been looking for her…I've looked everywhere for her…I…"

"Shinji, please. You have to calm down," Ritsuko spoke soothingly. Nodding shakily, the 3rd Child sat back and listened to the doctor. "Now, listen to me very carefully. The MAGI have identified an energy pattern that we've determined is being generated by Misato. We've been tracking her for some time now, but because of the nature of the energy emissions, we can't lock in on her exact location."

"You're…you're tracking her?" Shinji got out, delirious with joy. Joy that turned to horror as his earlier visions returned to him. "Please, Akagi-san, tell Father that he can't hurt her! This isn't her fault! It -!"

"I know that, Shinji, and we don't want to hurt Misato. Please, believe me when I say that the only thing I want to do right now is to help her." Nodding nervously, Shinji focused even more tightly on the doctor's voice, like it was his only lifeline to sanity remaining. "But before we can help her, we have to find her and get her back to NERV. And we have to do that before someone gets hurt."

"I…I understand. I…" Shinji began…only for his voice to falter when he realized that he didn't understand at all. That the madness of the past few hours was so far beyond his comprehension that it was like a sick joke. "Akagi-san…_what's going on?"_ he wailed, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks as a dam broke in the back of his mind. He was tired and drained and he had been keeping everything bottled up inside of him since he had seen a monster tear its way free of his guardian's body. "How…why is this happening…? Why…?"

The voice that was his current refuge didn't answer right away. And when it did, it was heavier than before. "It's a mutation, Shinji," Ritsuko intoned, her voice seemingly empty of emotion. "I don't know the exact details, but as near as we can tell…it was exposure to radiation from Jet Alone's nuclear reactor that caused this. And…"

_Jet Alone?_ Shinji thought blankly even as Ritsuko continued. He was about to ask her how it was possible for that to cause problems after so much time when his mind spewed out another horror, this one culled from his own memories. In an instant, he was back inside of Unit 01, safe and secure and protected from Jet Alone and the nuclear disaster it represented. Watching once again as he deposited Misato on its back, helping her risk everything to save a city filled with people she had never met. Watching as the robot sent her tumbling down the side, Misato barely saving herself by grabbing a ladder rung, cracking the helmet of her protective suit in the process. All the while Shinji did nothing but watch.

_Oh, no…I…_I_ did this!_ Shinji wailed, his heart breaking apart as he relived what happened that day. The elation at Misato's success in averting disaster, followed by the horror he had felt when he thought she had died in the nuclear monstrosity. The misery he had suffered through waiting for a rescue team to arrive, and the shock at seeing the crack in her helmet, the crack that had apparently killed her. The shame and self-loathing he had lived through all the way back to NERV, cursing himself for his hand in his guardian's death, only to have these things obliterated when he found out that not only Misato was alive, but had escaped Jet Alone completely unscathed.

In that instant, all the horror, the misery, the shock, and the self-loathing returned tenfold and came crashing down upon Shinji. _This is all _my _fault! _I _did this to her!_ he screamed in his own mind, He had taken one of the few people who cared he existed, who had been there for him since the first day he come to this city, a stranger whose own father wanted nothing to do with him, and effectively destroyed her. And with this realization, all his earlier visions of Misato's demise came back to him. But this time, every time he watched as Misato was mercilessly slaughtered for what she had become, she would look in Shinji's direction. Asking him with her eyes why he had done this to her.

As Shinji collapsed into his own grief, wanting nothing more than to die so as to spare others the burden of his worthless existence, a voice pierced through the gloom. "Shinji? Shinji, are you still there? Please, answer me!"

His mouth popping open and giving way to a croak of despair, Shinji looked blankly at the cell phone still in his hand. "I…" he began, taking hold of the phone like it was the only hope he had left to him. "Akagi-san…you have to help her. You…"

"We will, Shinji, I promise you. But I need your help first." Shinji very nearly laughed at this, for the idea of him being of any help to anyone was utterly ludicrous to him. But before he could summon enough strength to say so, the doctor explained exactly what was going on, and how Misato had gone into hiding. "As I told you, if we're going to have any chance of helping her, we have to find her first. Now, according to our data, if we could get Misato to calm down, her mutation will become dormant again."

"Dormant?" Shinji blankly repeated, as if he had never heard this word before. But then his eyes lit up as he gripped the phone more tightly. "You mean – she'll _change back?"_

"That's right. Now, you have to understand that that won't cure her. The mutation will only be dormant as long as there's no adrenaline in her system," Ritsuko told him, speaking slowly and clearly enough for the overwhelmed boy to be able to keep up. "But at least she'll be in control of herself so we can get her to NERV safely. Do you understand?"

"Uh, yes. I – I do," Shinji nodded nervously.

"Alright, fine. Now listen carefully." Ritsuko then began explaining to Shinji the discussion she had recently had with Kaji and Asuka, and their theories regarding Misato's behavior. "We think the reason Section 2 hasn't been able to find her is because Misato is intentionally avoiding them. That she's upset about what she did, and doesn't know how to deal with it."

Shinji paused and considered this possibility, and soon found himself nodding in agreement. "I think you're right," he murmured, thinking back to just before the creature Misato had become fled the apartment. "She…she couldn't talk, but when Asuka ran away from her, she…she looked like she was about to cry, and…"

"Really?" Ritsuko cut in, pouncing on Shinji's words. "Alright, then. This is what I want you to do. I want you to go to the intersection of Main and Kurakawa. That's roughly at the center of the pattern the MAGI are tracking, so it's safe to assume that Misato must be somewhere within at least a few blocks of there. Once there, I need for you to look for her. Call out her name, do anything you can that might get her attention. Hopefully, that'll get her to at least come out where you can spot her."

"Uh…okay," Shinji responded uncertainly. "And…then what?"

"Stay close to her. Talk to her if you can. Maybe you'll be able to help her calm down, but whatever you do, keep her in sight," Ritsuko instructed him. "Now, I'm going to stay on the line, so keep your cell phone on and open. That way, I'll be able to hear whatever happens, and the MAGI will be able to track your exact position."

"Oh, right…" Shinji nodded nervously as the more cautious aspect of his mind told him that this was a bad idea. That he would basically be dangling himself like bait for this creature, and if it did to him what it did to those buildings that first night…

_But it won't _She _won't!_ Shinji gritted, forcing himself to stay focused. To not think of this as a creature, but as a person. Before his own negativity could say anything to that, he frowned and thought back to Jet Alone, where he had failed to save the woman who had beside him through many horrors, always believing in him. _Besides, it's because of me that she's trapped in this nightmare,_ he growled at himself, drawing himself up, standing tall as all his exhaustion was forgotten. _I have to do this! I have to find Misato! Somehow…I _have_ to find her!_

* * *

The creature that had been buried within the mind of Misato Katsuragi was presently crouching on the roof of small building, hidden in shadow as she looked down at another building. The creature had no real context for the world around it, having bounded about aimlessly for some time, plagued by images both strange and familiar. Images of two tiny, pink creatures that it had encountered shortly after waking up again. Creatures that looked somewhat like herself, but were smaller, weaker, and shaped differently from her.

As she sat there, a hand placed against her head, she found herself confronted by her own jumbled memories. Memories in which the pink thing with red hair had screamed and made loud noises as she shoved another pink thing at her. The creature had been angered by this action, as well as the red-haired thing's noise, so she had swatted her around. And then…

_Misato, no! Don't do it!_ a voice cried out in her mind. A voice belonging to the second pink thing, the one that had been thrown against her. In that moment, she could see it looking at her plaintively, its blue eyes looking right into her own. _Misato? W-what's happened to you…?_

Growling deep in her throat, the creature shook its head, trying to rid itself of these confusing images. How did she know these pink things? What were they to her? She didn't know, except that she knew she knew them. That they were important to her somehow. And yet…

The creature thumped itself on the head, trying to rid itself of these painful thoughts. Thoughts that had chased her throughout the night as she leapt about aimlessly.

And these had not been the only things that had hounded her; loud, flying things that beamed bright lights this way and that had buzzed overhead, their oppressive noise hurting her ears. Every time the creature saw one of the flying metal things, she had wanted to leap up and smash it, to rid herself of the bright, burning light and hateful noise. But she wanted even more to be left alone, and a part of her, a part of the person that was Misato, knew that to destroy one flying thing would have brought many more hunting for her. So instead, the creature had sought out someplace where she could rest and be left alone.

The creature had bounded about without direction for quite some time until she sighted smallish structure amongst the much taller ones. Something about it caught her attention, something familiar. Something that sparked memories in the now-sleeping mind of Misato. Images, impressions, echoes of her life flashed through the creature's mind. As the creature examined the quiet building, she felt something that could almost have been curiosity. She somehow knew this place, somehow associated it with…peace. Relaxation. It felt…comfortable here. And yet…

The creature found herself frowning. Something was wrong with the building. The glass that garnished it should have lights in it. She didn't know how she knew this. All that mattered was that she knew. Something wasn't right. Still, the creature had no reason to leave. And more importantly, there was a space between two other nearby buildings. A space that was filled with nothing but darkness, was a perfect place to hide and avoid the lights and noises of the flying things. So she had ventured into the shadows and sat down where she could continue to look at the small building. Wisps and tidbits of another life flitting through her primitive mind.

As she continued to watch, the creature heard something approaching. A strange, low roaring, and when she looked in the direction, she saw lights as well. Drawing back into the comfort of shadow, she watched as one of the strange metal things she had encountered earlier came closer, rolling on black, round objects.

The creature frowned even more. She somehow knew of these things from Misato, and more importantly, she knew they made noise. She had heard it herself. Horrible noise that hurt her ears. Clenching her fists, the creature watched the metal thing draw closer.

If it made noise that hurt her ears, she would smash it.

Then, as the thing drew to a stop in front of the nearby building, she got a better look at it. It was mostly white, and larger than the other metal things she had encountered so far. Of even greater importance to her were the words and symbols emblazoned on the metal thing's side. The creature couldn't read, and didn't recognize the symbols. But they stirred recognition in Misato's sleeping mind; the creature then knew that there was something inside the metal thing. Something that Misato associated with peace. Rest. Release from pain, escape from nightmares.

The creature looked even more intently at the metal thing. She wanted what was inside it. She didn't know what it was; all she knew was that she wanted it.

As she watched, a smaller being exited the metal thing. Another of the pink things she had seen that night. _A human,_ she found herself thinking, though the word had little meaning to her.

The human knocked on the building, and soon a small section folded aside. Another human emerged from it, one with fur on its face. "Yebisu Delivery Service!" the first human announced brightly.

_Yebisu,_ the creature thought. A word that she somehow associated with release. Her interest increased.

"Well, it's about time!" the second human growled as he fully emerged from the building. "What took you so long, anyway?"

"Oh, sorry, sir!" the first human responded. "I had some engine troubles. Took me forever to get a tow truck, and then I had to wait to get to a service station, and -!"

"Aw, forget it!" the second human responded. "Business was pretty bad tonight, anyway. Had to close down early." Then he narrowed his eyes as he examined the truck. "Your, uh, engine troubles better not have ruined my shipment!"

The first human reacted with mock horror. "No, sir! Our trucks are fitted with independent refrigeration units! Guaranteeing quality beer, cold and ready to drink, sir!"

_Beer. Cold. Ready to drink…_ The creature was all but salivating with desire. She still wasn't sure what was in the metal thing, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that she wanted it. Stepping out of the shadows, she slowly approached the metal thing, staying out of sight of the humans. Almost tentatively, she touched the thing's side, but it made no noise. No awful noise to make her head hurt.

Encouraged by this, the creature went to the back of the thing, ignoring the noises the humans made. She instinctively opened the rear door, and was rewarded with the sight of many smaller objects, all bearing the symbols she had seen on the side of the metal thing. Her desire was now uncontrollable.

Yes. She _definitely_ wanted it. _All of it._

* * *

Shinji wasn't sure how long his second wind, or perhaps his third wind had lasted, but it had gotten him where he had needed to go. As he staggered wearily up to a street corner, he looked up and saw that he had reached the intersection of Main and Kurakawa.

Doubling over, he caught hold of his own knees as he sucked in breath after ragged breath, barely able to hold up his head and look about the surrounding area. He was in an older part of Tokyo-3, on the border between the modern parts of the city and the older portions that were the remnant of when this had been the city of Hakone. Everywhere he looked, he saw dingy buildings and looming shadows. Any one of which would be the perfect hiding place for the creature Misato had become.

Pausing to regain his breath, Shinji considered what to do next. Ritsuko had told him to call out for Misato, to do something to attract her attention. But his lungs were still strained, and such an effort remained beyond his capability for the time being. So as strength slowly flowed back into his wearied body, he forced himself to stand up…and immediately frowned.

A short distance away from where he stood, there was a bar that bore the name First Impact, a name that he recognized. _Misato…didn't she once say that she went there sometimes?_ Shinji thought, his own thoughts sounding as wearied as he felt. Cocking his head to the side, he considered the bar for a time.

He knew that the creature he was dealing with was still Misato at heart. And as Shinji studied the bar, he thought back to how he had been guessing as to the various places she might have gone, and a bar like this certainly qualified. He thought about advising Ritsuko of this, but then decided against it. She was probably busy with work at NERV, and he didn't want to waste her time if he was wrong. So instead, he started towards the bar, searching every shadow he passed for a sign of his transformed guardian.

As he approached the bar, something struck him as wrong. First of all, the bar appeared to be closed. Shinji had never gone to a bar, but he knew enough about those places to know that they didn't close until aftermidnight. It was barely after nine. However, even stranger was that there were two people besides the building. One of them was lying flat on the ground, utterly prone. The other, who looked like a bartender, sat on the ground next to him, his arms wrapped around his legs. He just kept muttering to himself, shaking his head slowly.

Even more concerned, Shinji rushed up to the two men, and got a better look at them. The first man had fainted, and his mouth hanging open and a rivulet of blood was coming out of his nose. The bartender was muttering, "This isn't right. Shit this weird isn't supposed to happen. Not even _here_…"

"Uh, sir?" Shinji asked, looking the bartender in the eye. "What happened?"

The bartender shifted his gaze to Shinji, looking as if he wasn't sure the boy was real. "You wouldn't believe it," he muttered, clearly in shock. "_I_ wouldn't believe it! _Nobody_ would believe it!"

"Sir?" Shinji tried again, looking down at the fainted man. His uniform had the word 'Yebisu' on it. He was immediately hopeful. "Was there…a woman here? A…big woman?"

The bartender nodded absently. "Really big. A real beauty. Strange, green skin…but beautiful," he muttered, still seeing her in his mind. "And strong. Wonderful muscles. Just…picked up the delivery truck and made off with it. Just like that…"

_Yup, it was Misato!_ Shinji thought, almost relieved. Not only was he on the right trail, but now he had proof that the Misato he knew was still inside that monstrous, green body. At the very least, her taste for beer had survived the transformation. Barely keeping the urge to smile in check, he focused on the bartender and eagerly asked, "Uh…which way did she go?"

After a moment's hesitation, the bartender jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "That way. Just…jumped right over us. Like it was nothing…"

"Thanks, sir!" Shinji cried out, not hesitating as he ran in the direction indicated.

"This isn't right. Shit this weird isn't supposed to happen," he heard the bartender muttering. "Not even in Tokyo-3…"

* * *

"She hijacked a _beer truck?"_ Ritsuko spat out incredulously.

"That's what he said, Akagi-san!" Shinji returned over her cell phone. "So I think she must be someplace nearby! She couldn't have gone far while carrying something like that!"

"Right, makes sense," Ritsuko concurred. While she still wasn't sure as to the exact limits of the creature's strength, something like a shipping truck would be an awkward burden to carry any real distance. "Okay, then. We'll continue to monitor your location, so keep the line open. And as soon as you find her or the truck, let me know. I'll send your position to Section 2."

"Okay," Shinji responded. "I'll…I'll let you know as soon as I find something."

"Okay. Good luck, Shinji," Ritsuko responded before lowering her cell phone. Then she turned and looked at Gendo, Kaji, and Asuka, prepared to give them a status report. To let them know that they were closing on Misato.

Instead, all Ritsuko said was, "She hijacked a beer truck!"

"So you said," Gendo muttered.

"Yeah, we heard," Kaji grinned, scratching the back of his head.

"That figures," Asuka muttered as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

As Shinji continued along the direction indicated by the bartender, he found himself confronted with a dark alley that looked as if it had never known a moment of light. Frowning somewhat, he pulled open his duffel bag and brought out a flashlight. Switching it on, he grimaced at the sight of garbage littered all over the place, dumpsters overflowing with trash. And in the deepest corners, where his light wouldn't reach, were other, even more unpleasant things waiting just out sight.

Heaving a weary sigh and once again telling himself that he must not run away, Shinji proceeded into the narrow space between two buildings. He was certain that the creature had to be close; she couldn't have been at the First Impact bar that long ago, judging by the bartender and the other man. And more importantly, the Misato he knew wouldn't wait very long before settling down and enjoying her pilfered beer.

As Shinji moved forward, swinging the beam this way and that, he heard a loud clanging from somewhere nearby. Tense from all the quiet and anxiety that filled him, he jumped straight up. His heartbeat skyrocketing momentarily, the boy then took a few seconds to settle down. Then, after looking about, he started running in the general direction of the sound.

A short run soon brought him to a crushed piece of metal that sat in the middle of an alley. Bending down to get a closer look, Shinji winced at the strong scent of beer. He instantly knew what the object had to be; a keg of beer, with the top of it peeled off before it was crushed like a beer can. As Shinji examined the ruined keg, he looked about, and soon spotted another in a similar state. Certain that he was close, he held up his cell phone. "Akagi-san…I think I've found her."

"You _think _you found her?" Ritsuko responded hesitantly.

"I found some empty beer kegs! They've been torn apart, and -!" Shinji was cut off when a huge noise cracked the air. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself jumping at the sound of thunder…shaped into a massive, un-ladylike belch. This was soon followed by a loud, satisfied growl, the sound of metal crunching, and then clanging. Quickly looking up, Shinji barely got out of the way of another emptied keg as it bounced down to the ground. Eyeing the keg, Shinji returned his attention to the direction it had come from.

"Akagi-san…she's right above me!" Shinji whispered carefully. "She's on top of the building next to me!"

"Alright! Good work, Shinji! Now, stay right there! I'm relaying your location to Section 2! As soon as we have confirmation that Misato's changed back, we'll send them in!" Ritsuko instructed him. "In the meantime, you better close up the phone. We can't afford to do anything that might set her off now."

"Right," Shinji nodded before closing up his phone and sliding it back into his pocket. Only to freeze up an instant later when he heard another growl. One that sounded almost…inquisitive. Slowly looking up, Shinji watched as a shape appeared over the edge of the building's roof. He couldn't make out its exact shape, but even in the darkness, he could still see the green eyes glowing at him.

"Misato…" he murmured, watching as the creature that had once been Misato growled lowly, warmly, in a manner that showed she was now a bit tipsy. Shifting about on the roof, the creature stood and easily jumped down to the alley below. Shinji almost panicked before she landed in a crouch before him, caught in his flashlight beam.

_Oh, wow…_ Shinji moaned as he surveyed the massive creature standing before him, which seemed even bigger than she had in the apartment. Every single part of her body seemed to be made of nothing less than coiled muscle that would be the envy of any bodybuilder who ever lived. Trying not to lose it as his eyes moved pass two immense breasts that were heaving up and down with each breath she took, he focused on her face. Her cheeks a slightly darker shade of green then the rest of her, Misato looked down at Shinji, and was watching him intently.

Doing his best to focus on her head and not be sidetracked by the sensational body she now wore, Shinji gulped, forced himself to focus, and smiled nervously. "M-Misato?" he sputtered out, looking for any sign of recognition…and for any indicator that she might become violent. "Misato, it's me…Shinji! Remember?"

Misato said nothing. Did nothing. She only stood there, examining the boy, her head shifting to one side, then the next.

"Misato?" Shinji tried again, his smile faltering. "Don't you…?" Gulping to clear the bile that had formed in his throat, Shinji stepped closer to his guardian. "Don't you…recognize me?" A low growl emerged from Misato's throat, but she still said nothing. As Shinji kept looking at her, he felt his strength abandon him, hope evaporating, leaving him to fall to his knees. "Oh, no…" he moaned, tears emerging to streak down his face. "Don't you know who I am anymore…?"

Looking pleadingly at the monster that had taken Misato's place, Shinji could only stare helplessly as she frowned slightly. Then, with gentleness he would not have imagined of such a beast, she slowly moved closer, bending down to pick him up. In shock at the strength he felt in her hands, Shinji knew that Misato could crush him with but the slightest of efforts…and yet, he felt only gentle compassion in her grip as she lifted him up before seating him on top of a nearby dumpster.

For an untold length of time, Shinji looked into the green eyes of the beast-woman, eyes that examined him while her right hand moved to caress his face, wiping away his tears. As he continued to cry, the creature growled again. A growl that slowly shaped itself into a word.

"Shin…ji…"

The boy gasped as his pulse quickened. His name came out clumsily, like it had been spoken by a child saying its first word. Misato didn't even seem to realize that she had spoken, and yet…!

"Yes!" he urged desperately. "That's me! That's my name! Shinji! Shinji Ikari!"

"Shinji…" Misato growled again, as if agreeing. Then, continuing to caress his face, she smiled. "Shinji-kun…"

Delight spread uncontrollably through Shinji. The creature couldn't have been mimicking him. Those words had come Misato, the _real _Misato. "That's right! I'm Shinji!" he cried, more tears flowing at his relief. "And your name is Misato!" The creature frowned slightly at this, as if the new name confused her. Sucking in his disappointment, Shinji continued to try. "Shinji," he said, pointing to himself. Then he pointed to her. "Misato."

"Mi…sa…to…" she growled, her brows furrowed. It was as if the sound of her own name was unpleasant to her. But then, she returned her full focus to the boy in front of her. "Shinji. Shinji-kun…" she rumbled, her gentle hand continuing to rub his cheek. Delirious with relief, Shinji continued to sit there, smiling helplessly as the creature caressed him.

As he rejoiced within his heart, Misato's eyes lost their focus. She blinked several times, her gaze lowering, a look of disorientation appearing on her face. Then, the lines of her body seemed to soften, and wavered, causing Shinji to gasp in shock. _No. No,_ Shinji moaned inwardly as Misato grew more confused. _What's happening to you _now_?_ His despair then turned to astonishment, as the hand she held to his face shifted…and seemed to shrink.

Shinji didn't dare to hope. He only watched with the intensity of a hawk as Misato's body shifted and flowed. At first, he thought it was only a hopeful delusion, but then he gasped in delight as Misato visibly became smaller, her muscles less substantial, her skin lightening, changing from green to her normal skin tone.

_Oh, god…Akagi-san was right. She…she's changing back!_ he exulted, sliding off the dumpster as the purple-haired woman staggered slightly before falling to her knees. He landed on the ground just in time to allow her head to fall to his shoulder. With a smile that threatened to split his face in half, Shinji watched as Misato, _his_ Misato raised her head to look at him in confusion, her eyes the only part of her that had yet to revert.

Then, with a slow shake of her head, Misato blinked the last of the green from her eyes, and locked gazes with the boy. "Shinji?" she started, her voice straight and clear, devoid of confusion and growling. "What the -? Where are we? What's going…?" Then, pulling back to look at herself, Misato frowned in perplexity. "What the Hell? Why am I nak-?"

_"Misato!"_ Shinji shrieked in delight, unable to control himself as he tackle-hugged Misato. The purple-haired woman let out a gasp of surprise as she fell to her back as he hugged her fiercely, crying and babbling in delight as he pressed his face against her own.

"Uh…Shinji?" Misato broke in, letting out sounds of bewilderment. "I…what's happening? How did we get here?" At these words, he pulled back just enough to look her in the eye. "Aw, damn! Not _again!_ What the hell's going on here?"

"Misato?" Shinji replied as he looked her. "You mean…you don't remember…what happened?"

Frowning in confusion, Misato struggled. "I remember crashing down on the floor and all that, but…" Looking about, she frowned and asked, "Aw, damn, what's going on with me? How'd I end up here, anyway? And…" Pausing, she brought up one of her forearms and gave an experimental sniff, only to recoil in disgust. "Dammit, what happened? Did I go _swimming_ in beer? What's happening -?"

Realizing that Misato was getting increasingly upset and well aware of what would happen if she continued to do so, Shinji hugged her fiercely. Misato gasped in surprise as he pulled himself as tightly to her as she could. Afraid to let go, lest she be replaced once again. "Don't leave me, Misato," he pleaded, fresh tears streaking down his face. "Please, don't go away…"

"Shinji…" Misato murmured in surprise before she returned the embrace. "I'm sorry, Shinji-kun. I…I didn't mean…" Pressing her cheek against his own, she sighed wearily. "How the hell do you put up with me, anyway?" Shinji's only response was to hold her even more tightly. He didn't care that Misato was naked. He didn't care about anything but making sure that she never disappeared again.

* * *

Author's Notes: All's well that ends well, right? Wrong. Things are only to get hairier as the story continues. In the meantime, please, read and review. And check out some of my other stories while you're at it!

Omake

For an untold length of time, Shinji looked into the green eyes of the beast-woman, eyes that examined him while her right hand moved to caress his face, wiping away his tears. As he continued to cry, the creature growled again. A growl that slowly shaped itself into a word.

"Shin…ji…"

The boy gasped as his pulse quickened. His name came out clumsily, like it had been spoken by a child saying its first word. Misato didn't even seem to realize that she had spoken, and yet…!

"Yes!" he urged desperately. "That's me! That's my name! Shinji! Shinji Ikari!"

"Shinji…" Misato growled again, as if agreeing. Then, continuing to caress his face, she smiled. "Shinji-kun…"

Delight spread uncontrollably through Shinji. The creature couldn't have been mimicking him. Those words had come Misato, the _real _Misato. "That's right! I'm Shinji!" he cried, more tears flowing at his relief. "And your name is Misato!" The creature frowned slightly at this, as if the new name confused her. Sucking in his disappointment, Shinji continued to try. "Shinji," he said, pointing to himself. Then he pointed to her. "Misato."

"Mi…sa…to…" she growled, her brows furrowed. It was as if the sound of her own name was unpleasant to her. But then, she returned her full focus to the boy in front of her. "Shinji. Shinji-kun…" she rumbled, her gentle hand continuing to rub his cheek. Then she grinned in the impish fashion he knew so well and picked him up again. "Shinji-kun party!"

"Huh?" Shinji squawked in surprise, which was the only thing he was able to do before the creature jumped. Stunned by the acceleration, he watched as the green Amazon landed effortlessly on the roof of a building, where a large truck lay on its back, a large hole torn in its side. Dozens of kegs and six-packs of beer lay scattered on the roof. Getting a _very _bad feeling, he hung helplessly in her arms as the creature grabbed a can off one of the six-packs. "Uh, Misato…what are you -?"

"Shinji-kun party!" the creature grinned enthusiastically as she tore the can open and shoved it in the boy's face. His mouth open in mid-protest, Shinji inadvertently gulped down half the can's contents before he even realized what had happened.

"Gagh!" Shinji cried out. He felt as if he had just gulped down a mouthful of molten lava. "Misato, what -?"

Again, the 3rd Child found his mouth filled with beer, and as he did so, the burning sensation in his throat was changing, dying down into a warm, cozy feeling that was spreading throughout his body. By the time he'd recovered enough to even think of swallowing down his fresh mouthful of booze, he was wobbling giddily. "Uh…you know…that's not so bad…"

"Party!" the creature grinned, a sentiment Shinji found himself agreeing to.

"I…don't…believe…this…" Ritsuko muttered, her voice low with horror as she took in the tableau before her. "Misato, _what do you think you're doing?"_

In response to the doctor's voice, Misato sat up woozily, her head rolling about as she tried to focus. "Oh…hey, Rits!" she grinned. "What (hic!) bringsh you here…?"

"You do!" Ritsuko retorted, looking about in horror at the scene before her. "What – how in blazes did _this _happen?"

"Hee hee hee…we had…a little party…" Shinji giggled, the heavy blush marking his cheeks making it clear that Misato wasn't the only one that was drunk. "Then Section 2 came, and…they wanted to (hic!) party, too…"

"So I see!" Ritsuko exclaimed as she scanned the roof. Everywhere she looked, men in black suits lay passed out, surrounded by cans and kegs of beer. "Dammit! They were supposed to bring you two to NERV, not join in on the chaos!" Massaging the headache she was presently developing, the doctor muttered, "I swear, Section 2 gets more useless every single day!"

"Aw, lighten up, Ritsh! Why can't you be more like Shinji-kun here?" Misato grinned cheerfully as she turned about to the boy next to her. "Now here's a guy who (hic!) knowsh how to have fun!"

"So I noticed!" Ritsuko grumbled sourly. "Honestly, what is wrong with you, Shinji? I thought you had more sense than that!"

"Aw, don't get mad, Akag-(hic!)-san…" Shinji slurred in response. "It's actually kinda nishe…once you get used to it…"

"Exactly!" Misato grinned wickedly. Then she looked at Shinji, her eyes twinkling in a fashion Ritsuko knew all too well. "Hey, Shinji-kun…wanna have shum _real_ fun…?"

"Uh…yeah…!" Shinji replied. "Sho…whaddaya wanna do (hic!) Misha-chan..?"

"Well…the first thing I wanna do," Misato purred as she rolled and crouched over the boy, "ish get these pantsh of yoursh off!"

"Aw, _damn…"_ Ritsuko muttered as Misato yanked Shinji's clothes off. Turning away from the continuing nightmare she was stuck in, she quickly grabbed up a can of beer and opened it. "I better get myself drunk as quick as possible. Because this is one night I sure as hell _don't _want to remember!"

(Author's Notes: Let it be known that I most certainly do not approve nor endorse underage drinking. However, given the circumstances, I thought this would make for an entertaining omake!)


	6. Don't Make Her Angry

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 6: Don't Make Her Angry

"NERV Central to Captain Chiron. Come in," came the voice of Commander Ikari over the radio.

Looking down at his secure radio for a moment, Chiron frowned before picking up the receiver. "Chiron here."

"Katsuragi's mutant pattern has just disappeared. She's reverted to her human form," Gendo informed him. "We're sending you her coordinates. Have a team move in and secure her, but be advised that the 3rd Child is also in her vicinity. Whatever happens, make sure that he is not harmed."

"Understood," Chiron replied, looking at the computer screen on his dashboard. As soon as the pertinent data arrived, he studied them and plotted a course to the stated location. "Coordinates received. Moving out."

"Remember, I want Katsuragi secured quickly and without incident. As soon as you have her, bring her and the 3rd Child directly to NERV," Gendo intoned, his voice heavy with unspoken warning.

"Very well, sir. I'm proceeding to the designated coordinates now. Will notify you when the package has been secured," Chiron responded.

"You do that, Captain. NERV Central out," Gendo spoke, his sentence punctuated by the sound of the connection breaking.

"Alright, then. Attention all units. This is Captain Chiron speaking. Target location has been confirmed," the Section 2 head announced as he forwarded the pertinent information to the rest of his agents. "Now I want an ambulance routed to the target location and to be ready for pickup! Teams 1 through 8, remain in position! Teams 9 and 12, be ready to move in on my signal." As a round of 'yes, sirs' were heard, Chiron continued to plan out his next move. "Echo 4 and 5, you're on standby! Echo 1, 3, and 6, take up position one mile away from the target point. If anything goes wrong and this thing shows up again, I want you ready to follow it. Is that clear?"

Another round of 'yes, sirs' was heard, leaving Chiron eminently satisfied. This was how Section 2 was supposed to operate; like a single, elegant machine with him as its head, not a collection of idiots running around going off on anything that moved. "Now, then, Katsuragi…it's just you, me…" he smiled, pausing to pat the tranquilizer gun that sat next to him, "and this baby makes three!"

* * *

"So…where are we, anyway?" Misato wondered as she stood up and looking about the alley they were in, wrapping herself up in one of the towels Shinji had brought for her.

"Um…" Shinji hesitated, trying to figure out exactly how much he should tell Misato. For while he didn't want to lie to her outright, there was so much that had happened that night that he still had no idea as to how to put into words. And while he knew that, sooner or later, Misato would have to be told about what had happened to her, he didn't want to be the one to have to tell her that. He _desperately_ didn't want that burden. "Well…we're pretty close to the First Impact."

Her eyes rounding, Misato gaped at the boy in horror. "Wait a minute. _The First Impact?_ I went _there?"_ Groaning heavily, she brought her hand to her forehead. "Don't tell me. Let me guess. I got drunk, didn't I?"

"Uh…" Shinji frowned, glancing around the purple-haired woman, nervously examining the ruined kegs that lay in evidence of the monster's binge. Kegs that had clearly been torn apart by someone's bare hands. Misato hadn't seen them in the darkness prevailing in the alley, or if she had, she hadn't paid too much attention to them, but he knew it was only a matter of time. "Well…you _did _have quite a bit. I think. I…" Wanting to get her away from there before she focused on the kegs, to avoid the questions that would then ensue, he looked back up at her and pleaded, "Um, Misato? Maybe we should…you know, get away from here? I, uh…"

"Right. This is a pretty bad part of town, even on a good night," Misato frowned, examining her bare feet with ill humor. "But…how did I lose my clothes _again?_ What's wrong with me, anyway?"

Groaning deep in his throat, Shinji struggled to think of something to say. "Well, uh…you didn't have much on when you left, anyway," he murmured even as he winced at how lame he sounded. "And you were in a…bit of a hurry. I…"

"A bit of a hurry? Shinji, I don't even remember leaving the _apartment!_" Misato exclaimed sharply. "And how did I get here, anyway? Did I drive? And where's my car? I -!"

"Misato, I -!" Shinji started, cringing helplessly as she visibly became more and more upset. "I'm sorry, I -! I didn't mean -!"

As his words broke down into incomprehensible noises of sorrow, Misato broke off in mid-question, her mouth hanging open as she looked at the boy. "I – I'm not blaming _you _for _anything, _Shinji! I…I just want to know what the hell's going on here!"

_No, you don't, _Shinji thought mournfully, despite the fact that he knew that there was no way of keeping the truth away from her. "Still, I…I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be apologize, Shinji-kun. If anything, _I'm _the one who should be apologizing for…whatever the hell I did," Misato grumbled sourly, shaking her head as she secured the towel in place. "Anyway, thanks for bringing these towels. I…" At this, her mouth popped open again before she narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Wait a minute…Shinji, why _did_ you bring towels with you, anyway?"

"Ummm…!" Shinji froze like he'd just been dunked in liquid nitrogen. _Think fast, Ikari!_ was the thought that hammered through his mind as he cudgeled his mind for some kind of explanation that would sound at least a bit plausible. "Well…I...was just thinking that…well…you weren't looking…quite right when you left the apartment…and I was worried, so…"

Trailing off helplessly, Shinji barely stifled a groan at just how feeble this excuse sounded, something that wasn't helped when Misato frowned and asked, "And that's it? That's the only reason?"

"Uh, yeah…well…" Shinji tried again, only to blanch as Misato shifted about on her feet, putting one of the ruined kegs just behind her right foot. If she stepped backwards, even _slightly…_

"Um, Misato…don't you think we should…get out of here?" Shinji suggested desperately. "I was thinking that maybe I could call someone, like Akagi-san or something? Then she could give us a lift, and…?"

Misato pulled back a bit, and for a terrifying moment, Shinji thought for sure that she would step on the creature's handiwork. But then she sighed and shook her head, saying, "Yeah, good point. This _is _a pretty rough neighborhood." Then she rolled her eyes and muttered, "I just know Rits is never gonna let me forget about this…"

"Oh, I don't think it would be…_that _bad," Shinji replied helplessly, knowing that he wasn't home free yet. "Uh, why don't we go get out of this alley? It's…hard to see, and…"

"Yeah, I know. And the smell isn't exactly endearing, either," Misato noted grimly. Then, with a slight shrug, she started moving towards Shinji…and away from the shattered kegs.

Almost collapsing from relief, Shinji led Misato away from the ruined kegs and into a slightly better location. It was another alley, but this one was positioned between several large buildings, with what looked like a busier section of Tokyo-3 just within view. It was much wider than the previous alley, and was well enough away from the ruined kegs and the bar that the 3rd Child felt more comfortable. There were even some small crates that Misato could sit on and get off her bare feet. "Whew, that's better," the purple-haired sighed as she raised her tender soles off the filthy concrete. "How'd I manage to get us into something like this, anyway?"

Watching his guardian out of one eye, Shinji brought out his cell phone, eager to give control of this mess back to someone who knew what the heck they were doing. Before long, a familiar voice was heard on the other end. "Shinji! Is that you?"

"Yes, i-it's me, Akagi-san!" Shinji responded beneath his breath. "I…I'm with Misato, and…she's changed back!"

"I know. We lost her pattern the instant she reverted," Ritsuko reported in a calm, cool voice. "Shinji, did you move from your previous location? Your cell phone signal is coming in from a different tower."

"Uh…yeah, I…we had to," Shinji murmured gently. "I didn't want Misato to see the empty kegs. She's…she's pretty confused and…I didn't want her getting upset, or…!"

As Shinji's voice failed him, he could practically see Ritsuko nodding in thought. "I see. Good thinking. We'll update Section 2 on your current location," she told him in a reassuring voice. Then her tone became more concerned as she asked, "Shinji, you said that Misato's…confused. Does she remember anything about what's happened?"

"No. I…I think it's like last time. She doesn't remember changing, or – or any of that," Shinji reported, constantly glancing out of the corner of his eye, making certain that Misato didn't hear any of their exchange.

"I see," Ritsuko murmured thoughtfully. "Shinji, let me talk to Misato."

"Uh…okay," Shinji replied shakily before turning back towards his guardian. Looking more like she was relaxing at a public bath than in a filthy alley, Misato smiled as her ward held up his phone. "Misato…Akagi-san wants to talk to you."

"Hmph. Sure she does. The same way she wants to laugh her head off at me for getting us into this mess," Misato groused, rolling her eyes as she accepted the cell phone. "Hey, Rits. I take it that Shinji's already told you where we are and what's been going on?"

"He gave me the gist of it," Ritsuko responded, her voice just audible to Shinji. "So…do you remember how you got there?"

"Nope," Misato grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Rits, I don't know what's going on, but there is _something _wrong me! I don't know what it is, but…" Heaving a wearied sigh, she seemed to rest her head on the cell phone. "I swear, as soon as the Commander hears about this, I'm as good as fired."

"Maybe not," Ritsuko returned in a slow, thoughtful voice. "I've been doing some tests on that blood sample of yours, and…I think I might have found something."

"Found something?" Misato asked in a querulous voice. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure, exactly," Ritsuko admitted. "But just the same, I think it might be best if I had you brought to NERV, so I can run some additional tests."

"Wait a minute. Brought to _NERV?_ As in _right now?"_ Misato demanded, looking as if she wished she could reach through the phone and strangle the doctor on the other end. "Rits, this had better be a joke, because if isn't…"

As Shinji panicked, certain that he could see a spark of green in his guardian's eyes, NERV's Head Scientist told her, "I wish I was joking, but we have to face facts, Misato. You've already had three blackouts in just over a week, and I think I might have an idea of what's causing them." Pausing momentarily, Ritsuko then went on to say, "Now, I wasn't going to mention this until tomorrow, but with what's just happened, I think it'd be best to get you into NERV Medical. Immediately."

Misato looked ready to protest this, but then she visibly deflated, brushing aside an errant strand of her hair as she visibly considered the matter. "Well…okay, I guess you have a point," she finally admitted with considerable bad grace. Then she looked wryly at the phone and added, "Besides, knowing you, you'd get the Commander to make it in order if I didn't cooperate."

"I certainly could," Ritsuko admitted with no pleasure in her voice. "Alright. I'm going to have an ambulance sent to your location right away. Just stay right there, and wait for it. Understood?"

"Fine, fine," Misato groaned, looking as if she had just bitten an apple and found half a worm. "Just what I needed; another night of playing guinea pig for my friend, the mad scientist." Ritsuko managed a light chuckle at this, to which the purple-haired woman growled, "Just do me a favor and _don't_ let anyone from Section 2 know about this! Is that clear?" As Shinji's heartbeat shot up at this, Misato rolled her eyes and grumbled, "I swear, if that porker Chiron gets wind of this, he'll never let me hear the end of it!"

"Um…" Ritsuko hesitated before loudly clearing her throat. "Well, hopefully we can get things squared away without too much trouble." There was another heavy pause before the doctor concluded, "I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Later, Rits. And thanks a bunch!" Misato snippily responded. The doctor said something that Shinji couldn't make out, to which the Major nodded. "Alright, fine," she grumped before handing the phone back to Shinji. "Here you go, Shinji-kun. Rits wanted to say something else you."

"Uh, right," Shinji nodded, not sure what else to say as he accepted the phone. Putting it to his ear, he asked, "Um…Akagi-san?"

"Shinji, I'm going to contact Section 2. Make sure that they keep a safe distance, so Misato won't see them," Ritsuko told him carefully, a bit of hope to her words. "Now, I want you to stay with her until the ambulance gets there. Make sure that Misato stays calm." Shinji nodded nervously, knowing full well how much rode on that. "Remember, Section 2 has been armed with tranquilizers, in case something goes wrong, but let's make sure that it doesn't come to that. Understood?"

"I…I understand, Akagi-san," Shinji nodded nervously, sparing a glance at the woman in question. "I'll…I'll do my best. I…" A lump appeared in his throat, forcing him to pause and swallow. Then he cast another glance at Misato, and whispered just loudly to be audible, "A-Akagi-san…you…you _can _help her…can't you?"

"I think so. Once I have a better idea of how the mutation functions, I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to neutralize it," Ritsuko told him. While Shinji was swooning in relief, the doctor declared, "Just be sure to keep an eye on her. The sooner we get her back here, the better."

"Uh, right. Right. Of…of course," Shinji nodded shakily. "Uh…I'll see you…" He was cut off by the sound of the phone disconnecting, he heaved a sigh and folded his phone shut. Putting it away, he turned to Misato and shrugged. "I…I guess we just…wait, then."

"Guess so," Misato smiled in her usual impish fashion. "So…any ideas on what we can do to pass the time?"

As Shinji considered an answer to this question, he paused and looked at her. Looked the woman who had taken him in for no other reason than the fact that she didn't want him to live alone, the person he couldn't imagine being without anymore. He saw inside of Misato the destructive beast that she had been cursed to become…and found him thinking of what was going to happen next.

As soon as Misato was brought to NERV, Ritsuko would have to tell her everything she had discovered. Would tell Misato that _she_ was the monster that had caused so much destruction, that had attacked Asuka and who knew how many other people. And as Shinji thought of that, his mind showed him what would happen next. It showed Misato's cheerful, impish visage collapsing into grief, horror, and ultimately despair. And that was only the beginning of the nightmare that would befall her.

No matter how much he wanted to deny it, Shinji knew that the creature currently locked away within Misato was extremely dangerous. Its rampages were proof enough of that. And he also knew that there was no way that NERV could ever allow his guardian to roam freely, not with such a beast waiting for the moment that it could break loose again. Which meant that the instant they were done telling Misato what had happened, they would lock her away in the depths of the Geofront.

_Unless…unless they just…_ Shinji cringed as a more dreadful fate appeared in his mind. But then he gave a quick of his head to rid himself of that thought. _No! They…they wouldn't! They can't!_ he protested with all his being. _Besides, Akagi-san is Misato's friend! She told me that she wanted to help! That she could cure her!_

Forcing himself to take hold of this little bit of hope, Shinji did his best to use it to keep his deeper dreads at bay. But even as he did so, he knew that the nightmare wouldn't end there. Even if Ritsuko truly wanted to help Misato, even if she could find a way to keep her from transforming again, there was no telling how long it would take for her to do so. It could take days, weeks, possibly even years, years in which Misato would be forced to live in a cage. Never once allowed to leave NERV…and possibly denied even the chance to even talk to anyone from the outside world.

_Which means…I might not ever…_ Shinji thought, his face sagging with horror in the face of such a scenario.

"Shinji?" Snapping from his dread musings, the boy looked to see Misato looking at him in concern. Completely unaware of the horror that awaited her….or who was responsible for her fate. "Shinji what is it, what's wrong?"

"I…" Shinji started, only for his voice to fail him. All he could think of was that moment when Misato had tumbled from the top of Jet Alone, a moment in which all he and Unit 01 had to do was reach out and catch her, and she would have been spared this horrid fate. And as he saw this moment again and again, greater and greater amounts of guilt piled up upon his shoulders, crushing him until he was forced to blurt out, "Misato, I…I'm so sorry!"

Sitting up sharply, Misato looked at the boy before smiling wanly. "Sorry? For what? Me being an idiot? What are…?" Both words and smile failed her, and she exhaled sharply before asking, "Shinji, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I…" Shinji started, grief and shame welling up in his eyes. Caught between his fervent desire to keep the truth from Misato for as long as possible, and the guilt-born need to confess his role in her predicament. "I…" he tried again, his mind working furiously as he tried to think of something, _anything_ to say to her. "This…_this is all my fault!"_

"What?" Misato squawked, only to gasp out a laugh. "Shinji, what are you talking about? How could this possibly be _your _fault?"

"Because…Akagi-san, she…" Shinji sputtered helplessly, tears running down his cheeks. "She told me that…" Swallowing loudly, he looked squarely at Misato, and somehow managed to get out, "…that she thinks…that your…blackouts…they were caused by…Jet Alone!"

"What? Ritsuko told you that -?" Misato cried out, only to freeze as her mouth and eyes popped open. Then she frowned in consideration, then asked, "Wait a minute…Jet Alone?" Shinji nodded limply to this, her frown deepening. "Then…hold on…are you saying that…she thinks this is some kind of…that I got doused by the reactor?" When Shinji looked up at her miserably and nodded, she sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Not with what happened to my suit." Shaking her head in thought, the purple-haired woman then smiled reassuringly. "But, Shinji…even if Rits is right, it's not your fault. _I _was the one who decided to go after that thing, remember?"

"I know, but…Misato, don't you see? It _was _my fault!" Shinji moaned, the tears coming ever faster. "The only reason your helmet got cracked because you fell! _And I could've stopped it!"_ Clenching his teeth, he once again saw Jet Alone, the things he could have done differently. "I…I could've grabbed that thing sooner…I could have _caught you_, I…I should've…"

Shinji couldn't get any further before Misato placed her finger upon his lips. "Shinji, stop it right now! This wasn't your fault," she commanded him, forcing him to look up into her firm, brown eyes. "If you have to blame anyone, blame whoever it was who sabotaged Jet Alone in the first place!"

Shinji's eyes shot wide open at this. "S-sabotage?" he gaped, his mind essentially crashing as it tried to cope with this concept coming out of left field. "But…they said…I thought that…was a malfunction…?"

"No. It wasn't an accident. Somebody _wanted_ Jet Alone to fail, Shinji-kun," Misato insisted, her voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Now, I don't have any proof of it, but…I know that _somebody_ reprogrammed Jet Alone so that it would go berserk."

Blinking a few times, Shinji struggled to process this concept. That he wasn't to blame for what happened, that Jet Alone wasn't an accident. "Then…whoever it was that sabotaged Jet Alone…_they_ did this to you?"

"That's right, Shinji. So if you have to blame someone for this, then please, don't blame yourself! Blame them!" Misato demanded. While Shinji was still trying to accept this possibility, the purple-haired woman looked away and heaved a deep breath. "I just hope that, whatever is wrong with me, it doesn't manage to kill me before I deal with the rat-bastards responsible!"

Shinji took a moment to picture the green giantess that Jet Alone had spawned in Misato, and actually managed a weak smile. "I…don't think that will happen, Misato," he guaranteed her in all honesty. "Actually…I don't think _anything _could kill you."

Taken aback by this statement, Misato smiled warmly before placing her hand on his head and running it through his hair. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Shinji-kun!" she grinned before leaning forward to wrap her ward in a bear hug.

"Uh…" Shinji got out as he found herself pressed firmly against her breasts. While nothing compared to the beach balls sported by her monstrous other, they were still more than enough to color his cheeks. He struggled to breathe, only to wince in pain at the stench of beer that still clung her to. "Ugh…uh…Misato…?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. Sorry, forgot about that," Misato announced in a sheepish fashion as she released her ward. As he backed away slightly, she held out her arms before her and looked at them in renewed humiliation. "How the hell did I get soaked with beer, anyway?"

"Uh…" Shinji started, once again not wanting to be put in the position of answering any questions, of crushing her smile before it absolutely had to done. As he looked about, trying to think of a graceful way out of it, he spotted just what he needed out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, look! A gas station!" he exclaimed, pointing out the lighted building that stood at the far end of the alley. It was just close enough for him to make out the sign and the lights. "Maybe I can get some water or something to help you get cleaned up!"

"No, you don't have to do that!" Misato protested. "I can wait until we get to the base. Besides, we're supposed to wait for the ambulance, remember?"

"I know, but…" Shinji replied, looking down at the ground. While he knew that he was supposed to remain near Misato until the ambulance came, he honestly couldn't see what difference such a short distance would make. And after everything that had happened that night, everything he had learned, the last thing he wanted to do was just sit around. "I just…want to help. Besides, it's not very far, and…."

"And besides, I stink like hell. Is that about it?" When Shinji froze in response, Misato rewarded him with one of her impish smiles. "Relax, I'm kidding. Besides, stale beer isn't my idea of sweet perfume, either." Snorting a laugh, she shrugged helplessly before saying, "Okay, Shinji-kun. Just be careful! This isn't the safest of neighborhoods!"

"Okay!" Shinji grinned before dashing off, determined to get back as quickly as possible. But as he ran, his mind began to churn and overflow as he thought about what Misato had told him. _Jet Alone…sabotaged…_

As his mind chewed and gnawed at this notion, already coming up with various ominous images, images that plunged into the pit of his stomach, where they proceeded to burn. Someone out there had unleashed this madness on purpose, cursing Misato in the process. And as he thought about it over and over again, the resulting fire began to burn into a hateful flame.

Focused on his task and distracted by his furious musings, Shinji ran up to the gas station…completely oblivious to the gazes of the two-legged predators that stood watch nearby…

* * *

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Shinji, someone else was fuming with barely suppressed anger.

_"Pull back?_ What do you mean, _pull back?"_ Chiron demanded, clutching his receiver so tightly that it felt like it would shatter in his hand. "Just who do you think you're talking to?"

"Spare me the attitude, Chiron! I'm not in the mood for it!" Ritsuko growled in response. "Look, Shinji is with Misato, making sure that she stays calm! And as long as she _is _calm, there's no danger of her transforming again. Which means that, unless something unforeseen happens, then it'll be best if you and your people keep a safe distance from them."

Snorting in disbelief at the audacity displayed by the Commander's designated horizontal tango dancer, Chiron retorted, "And just what makes you think you can order me or my people around? Does Commander Ikari know about this?"

"The Commander is fully aware of the situation, _Captain!"_ Ritsuko snarled. "Now, you listen very carefully! Until there's some indication that Misato's transformed again, Section 2 is _not _to interfere with her retrieval in any way! Is that clear?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Chiron dearly wished he could tell Gendo's whipped dog exactly what he thought of her and her orders. But despite everything, he knew that Ritsuko wouldn't dare giving such orders without the full authority of the Commander behind her. Which meant all he could do was sit back and respond, "Very well. Inform Commander Ikari that Section 2 will be standing by."

"I will do so," Ritsuko answered in a voice of tightly controlled triumph. "NERV Central out."

As soon as the radio fell silent, Chiron shook his head slowly before slamming his fists down upon his dashboard, snarling his frustration. This was _his _operation, _his _hunt, _his _victory. _He _was supposed to be the one who had the pleasure of taking down Misato and delivering her to the Commander on a silver platter. And now he was being cheated of these things by a whipped dog who didn't even take a take a leak without Gendo's authorization.

_Dammit straight to hell!_ Chiron snarled inwardly as he pictured the glorious moment that was supposed to be his to enjoy. _If only we'd found her while she was still that big, green freak! Then Ikari would have had to let us handle this, and -!_

Before this thought could be completed, a blast of blinding inspiration hit him like a thunderbolt. What if something went wrong? What if, for some reason, Misato transformed again?

As Chiron considered this notion, he found himself nodding thoughtfully. It could work. After all, he had her general location, and the helicopter units were close enough so that they would be able to keep track of the ugly green monster's location, even if she ran off. So all he really needed was something to happen. Something that would trigger her transformation, and give him the excuse he needed to come in and take the victory that was rightfully his.

Unfortunately, Chiron knew that that part would not only be tricky, it would be damn near impossible to accomplish. Not without the Commander realizing that he was personally responsible for the monster's reemergence. And as much as he wanted that victory, he wanted to keep breathing that much more.

_Still…_ Chiron muttered inwardly, fussing with the receiver for a moment before flipping it on. "This is Captain Chiron to Echo Units. Status report."

"Echo 1 reporting, sir. No sign of the target, sir, but all systems are good to go if she shows up," one of the helicopter pilots reported. Then the others responded as well, making similar reports.

"Very well," Chiron responded in a bored fashion, hoping against hope that some deity or whatever was on his side this night. "Now, do you see anything unusual in the target area? Anything at all?" Pausing to clear his throat, to make sure that he spoke with absolute professionalism, he added, "We can't afford to have _anything _interfere with this operation."

"Understood, sir," was the response he received from the three helicopter pilots. Leaving Chiron to sit in his car, knowing that if he were the kind of man inclined to believe in higher powers, he'd be praying to them with everything he was worth. Praying for just one lousy fly to appear in the ointment.

After a few seconds of waiting, Chiron's hopes were fulfilled. "Sir, I've got something!" Echo 3 piped up. "I've spotted a bunch of kids in a truck. They're parked near a gas station, and they're almost right on top of the target's location."

As he processed this report, Chiron forced himself not to become unduly optimistic. Even though a bunch of idiot kids could easily screw up any situation, there was no guarantee that they would be feeling cooperative that night. "Have they noticed you?"

"Can't tell. If they have, they're not particularly concerned. I – hold on." His ears perking at this interruption, Chiron waited in anticipation of Echo 3's next words. "There's another kid heading out of the gas station. He's heading towards the target's location, sir!"

"Is he, now?" Chiron oozed, his hopes skyrocketing at this report.

"Yes, sir. And…it looks the other kids have just noticed him, sir," Echo 3 continued. "They're starting up the truck, and…they're going after him, sir!"

Though he was maintaining his cool exterior, Chiron couldn't help but grin inwardly. He couldn't imagine that the punks in the truck were following that other kid to offer to tell him a bedtime story, and if they wound up running into Katsuragi, with no clothes on her back and completely vulnerable…

"Sir?" Echo 3 spoke up, intruding on the delightful image Chiron's imagination had conjured up. "What are your orders, sir?"

Chiron didn't even need to think before answering. "Remain in position," he told them, savoring the words. "Our orders are not to interfere with Katsuragi's retrieval. Until there's some sign that she's transformed again, we do nothing. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the men under Chiron's command responded as one. Leaving the Captain to sit back in his car and wait for the eventual fallout.

* * *

"Here you go, Misato!" Shinji smiled nervously as he gave her a handful of damp towels.

"Why, thank you!" Misato replied as she accepted them, smiling as best as she could as she washed off the lingering beer that clung to her arms. Trying as best as she could to deal with what was happening, to keep control of herself. Control that was rapidly slipping away.

Something was radically wrong with her. That much was obvious. But it was also obvious that, whatever it was that was happening to her, it wasn't something as simple as her passing out, or suffering memory lapses, or anything of that nature. None of those things would account for her losing her clothes twice in a row, nor would they explain why Shinji and Ritsuko were so upset.

_Then again, my being so stupid might have something to do with that,_ Misato thought grimly. _Rits probably thinks I had too much to drink again._ Wincing as she continued to wash away the stench of booze that clung to her, she added, _Though judging by the smell of me, she'd probably be right…_

Sighing as she allowed the expended towel to fall to the ground, Misato frowned in consideration. There was no doubt that booze could have something with her forgetting at least a few things, but in all the years she and beer had been acquainted, she had never suffered memory lapses that were as complete as these recent ones. And she simply couldn't imagine completely forgetting wandering halfway across the city, or losing the clothes on her back in the process.

As these questions mounted up, Misato frowned and glanced over at Shinji. Her ward was standing right in front of her, staring at her in concern. _And that's another thing,_ she realized unhappily. While Shinji was certainly one of the least confident people she had ever met, and sometimes acted like he expected to be beaten for the least offense, his current jitteriness had her worried. _If I'd just gone off and gotten drunk, Shinji would have just said so. Which means…_

As her train of thought petered out, Misato narrowed her eyes at her ward. "Shinji?"

"Yes?" he replied, as if eager to do whatever she asked of him.

"What happened to me tonight?" Pausing to observe her ward, noting with some dismay the way Shinji immediately stiffened up at her question, Misato proceeded to elaborate. "After I left the apartment…where did I go? What did I do?"

"Um…" Shinji hesitated, looking like a cornered rat, looking desperately for a way out. "Well, I…don't really know what happened after you left the apartment! I'd just…caught up with you after you…you left the bar! So I…I really don't know what happened…!"

Furrowing her brows, Misato considered this statement. "I see," she finally murmured, somewhat satisfied by that answer. It seemed plausible enough to be at least part of the truth. "And how'd you find me there, anyway?"

"Well, you…you once told me that you…went there, sometimes," Shinji replied lamely. "So, I…I was just guessing where you went, and…"

As he trailed off, Misato again considered his statement. Again, it seemed to be least part of the truth. But that was all it was. Shinji clearly wasn't telling her the whole story, and that didn't make her happy.

"And what was I doing back in that alley?" she asked. "And…why _did _you decide to bring all those towels, anyway?"

"Uh…" Shinji got out, freezing up more completely this time. "Well, I…uh, that is…um…"

As Shinji tried and failed to say something intelligible, Misato found her frown deepening. Shinji tended to be brutally honest about just everything, so his hesitation was an instant red flag in her mind. "Look, be honest with me, please!" she pleaded. When he responded with a look of deepening dismay, she frowned and demanded in a firmer tone, "Now, something strange is going here, and I think you know a lot more than what you're saying. Now, _please,_ tell me; what's going on?"

"Uhh…" Shinji stalled, something that was wearing away at what little patience Misato possessed. "Well, I…how about I tell you later?" he asked with almost desperate hope. "You know…when we get to NERV?"

That settled it. Not only did Shinji know a lot more than he was telling, but he scared out of his mind of telling it to her. Neither of which made her happy. Folding her arms before her, Misato leaned closer and gave her unhappiness voice. "But I want to know _now._"

Shinji groaned at this, for the manner in which she had spoken had left no room for misinterpretation. "I…well…" he hemmed and hawed once again. As Misato looked at him, her patience and temper all but gone, another sound was heard. A sound she quickly recognized as an engine drawing closer. "Oh!" Shinji piped up, suddenly all smiles as he turned about. "That must be the ambulance!"

_What? Already?_ Misato frowned, standing straight and looked towards the open end of the alley. _It can't be! There's no way they could have gotten an ambulance here from the Geofront _this _fast!_ Even as she thought this, she saw a set of headlights filling the alley, forcing her to shield her eyes.

Squinting out between her fingers, Misato watched as a vehicle of some sort filled the alley. She couldn't make out exactly what it was, but she could already tell that it wasn't an ambulance. Something that was confirmed when its lights faded and engine sputtered and fell silent, revealing it to be a battered truck. As Shinji squeaked in dismay at this, the truck shook as several punks laughed and whooped it up as they clambered out of the flatbed. They were soon joined by two more getting out of the cab.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" one of them grinned nastily as he took the lead. He had rough hair, was unshaven, was dressed completely in leather. To make matters worse, he and his friends were moving in a manner that showed that he had a few too many. "Talk about service, huh, guys? It must've been, what, five minutes since we called and ordered a babe delivered, and here she is, looking good enough to eat!"

* * *

_Oh, no. No…_ Shinji groaned inwardly, faced with utter disaster in the form of a bunch of creeps who didn't look to be more than a few years his senior. They were making wolf whistles and various lewd comments that he couldn't really understand, and suspects that he didn't want to. Looking from Misato to the creeps and back again, he found his heart plummeting rapidly. The punks were clearly looking for trouble, hoping to have some sport with the scantily clad woman they had found. And to make matters worse, she didn't look the slightest bit interested in running from them or calling for help. She looked ready to use the creeps as punching bags. _But…Akagi-san said that…if she gets mad again…!_

Gulping loudly as he pictured what would then happen, Shinji once again looked at the punks, completely unaware of the doom they were inviting with open arms. His mind racing, he thought about what would happen if the Misato's green other reappeared. He recalled the destruction the creature had caused when it had first appeared. He thought about Ritsuko, who made it clear that he had to keep her calm until the ambulance arrived. With all these things in his mind, there was no room for further thought as he flung himself in front of Misato. "Stop right there!" he cried out, no fear or hesitation in his voice. "I'm warning you! _Stay back!_"

Unsurprisingly, his demand didn't elicit the fearful compliance he might have hoped for. Instead, an array of laughs and derisive snorts were heard. "Aw, look at the little kid!" one of the punks guffawed. "He's trying to protect his lady friend!"

"Watch out! He might throw his diaper at us!" another rejoined, braying with laughter.

Forcing down his fear, Shinji reached into his pocket and drew up his wallet, letting it flop open as he held it out to them. "I am Shinji Ikari, 3rd Child of NERV! Pilot of Evangelion Unit 01!" he announced for all the world to hear, making sure that the punks got a good, long look at the NERV ID in his wallet. "And I'm telling all of you to _stay back!_"

This got the reaction his earlier demand had not. The group of punks instantly froze, their amusement turning to genuine concern. "What?" one of them squeaked out, his eyes go wide with disbelief. "He's with _NERV?"_

"One of the _pilots?"_ another muttered, looking around as if asking for advice.

Shinji just smiled grimly. He had seen Asuka do this with some jerks who had tried to harass her once, laughing as they had drawn back like her NERV ID was a lump of kryptonite. He knew that nobody wanted to mess with NERV, and especially _not _with the pilots. That is, if they planned to stay breathing.

Calming down as his NERV ID had the same effect on this band of creeps, Shinji frowned when he saw that the lead creep was moving towards them again. "Aw, relax, kid! We don't want to bother _you!_ It's your lady friend we're interested in! And I don't see any NERV ID on her!" His heart sinking at this, he heard the other punks chiming in with lustful laughter, common sense giving way to booze-enhanced hormones. "In fact, I don't see much of anything on her at all. And I'd like to see a whole lot less!"

His heart pounding in his ears, Shinji stepped closer to Misato, glaring harshly at the creeps as he spread his arms out to his sides. "You'll have to go through me, first." Working quickly, he reached into his pocket and grabbed out his cell phone. "Misato, call Akagi-san!" he cried out, tossing the closed phone at her. "Tell her we need help!"

A noise of surprise escaped Misato's throat, but fortunately, the cell phone didn't escape her grip. As Shinji continued to glare at the thugs that had blocked off the alley, he quickly considered their options. Running was first and foremost in his thoughts, but he had no idea of where they could run to. Fighting clearly wasn't an option either. Which left him with one option; playing human wall until Section 2 could come and save the day. And while that was a dubious plan at best, it seemed like their best chance.

At least until the lead thug drew something out of the folds of his jacket. And while Shinji couldn't see what it was in the gloom of the alley, he instantly recognized the distinct clicking of a gun being cocked. "Aw, you don't wanna do that, pretty woman! Not before we've had our fun!" A chorus of lewd chuckling echoed this statement, causing Shinji to sag with dismay. "Now why don't you come over here, drop that phone…and drop that towel of yours while you're at it!"

Moaning helplessly as their only way out was cut off, Shinji looked helplessly at the thugs that were inviting certain doom. While he was sinking beneath the reality that they were basically doomed, a dangerous voice growled, "Shinji, stay back." Jumping at this, certain that this was the voice of the monster he heard, he looked back and saw Misato, the human Misato, coming up from behind him, defiance in her eyes instead of green. "I can deal this."

_I know! That's what I'm afraid of!_ Shinji thought frantically, the image of the monster twisting the punks into pretzels appearing in his mind's eye.

While Shinji was wondering what could possibly be taking the ambulance so long to arrive, morons whooped in laughter, completely unaware of the danger they were in. "Wow, we've got us a real fireball, don't we, boys?" the lead creep enthused, fiddling with his belt as he moved closer, his gun still pointed at Misato. "A woman like you must go a _long_ way!"

"Please, don't do this! Don't make her angry!" Shinji begged, pleading for their lives as much as Misato's. "You won't like her when she's angry."

"He's right, you know," Misato growled as she handed the phone back to Shinji. Who very nearly passed out when he looked up and saw the slightest spark of green flash in her eyes.

"Actually…I think we'll like her just fine!" the lead jerk countered as he came up to her and grabbed her by the towel, his hand right above her breasts. "It's so much more fun when they fight back!"

"Oh, is it, now?" Misato demanded in a dangerously sweet voice. Just before she lashed out at his gun arm, knocking his weapon from his grip. While he was looking off in the direction of the lost firearm, she fired off a palm shot to his jaw before hammering him with a punch to the gut. Doubled-over and bleeding from his mouth, the punk could only stare as Misato hammered him with another palm shot to the head. Utterly astonished as the lead creep fell to the ground, moaning in pain, Shinji gasped as two more jerks came at her. When one swung at her, Misato instantly caught him by the arm and tossed him with a judo throw that sent him flying into a pile of garbage, and then turned about in time to launch into a sweep kick that knocked the third creep's feet out from under him.

_Whoa…she kicks ass!_ Shinji gawked, astonished by what he was seeing. He stood there, caught between the fear that, sooner or later, enough adrenaline would have flooded Misato's system to uncork a very nasty, green-eyed monster, and fascinated disbelief. _I…since when can she…fight like that?_

As Shinji slowly realized that his guardian was not a Major by benefit of her strategic skill alone, he caught something moving out of the corner of his eye. Before he could get a better look at it, something leapt out of the darkness. "Come here, kid!" the thing rasped, grabbing Shinji by the waist and locking him with a chokehold. "Hey, bitch!"

Shinji gasped when he heard the voice. It was the first punk, the leader Misato had taken down, though obviously not for the count. Even as he realized this, Misato turned about and let out a sharp hiss. While Shinji couldn't see her face very well in the gloom of the alley, he could still see her face creasing with anger. And even worse, he was certain he saw a flash of green.

"Yeah, that's right! You better stand _real _still now!" the lead punk rasped as he moved closer to her, a fearful sweat trickling down Shinji's face. "One more move out of you, and I snap the kid's neck!" Standing at the ready, Misato looked at her ward, visibly calculating the odds of her being able to deal with creep without Shinji being hurt or killed in the process, and grimaced in frustration. The gang leader saw this as well, and grinned in delight at her look of hopeless frustration. "Alright, boys! _Take her!_"

"_Noo!"_ Shinji cried out as two more goons came at Misato, grabbing her by the wrists. Helpless to do nothing but watch as the leader dragged him closer to the rest of his fellows, Shinji looked on as the two creeps twisted the Major's arms behind her, forcing her to her knees.

"Damn you! Misato roared, her voice taking on a hint of the monster's own voice. "You hurt Shinji…and I swear _I'll kill every last one of you!_"

"Aw, I'm shaking in my boots, baby!" the leader grinned, shoving Shinji to the ground. As the boy crashed to the ground, he cried out as the creep placed his boot squarely on his head. With leather pressed against one cheek and concrete against the other, Shinji winced at the sound of a zipper being unzipped. "Here, watch the little creep for me! I want him to watch while I have my turn with his lady friend…"

"_Don't you touch her!"_ Shinji veritably shrieked, looking in despair at Misato, knowing full well what was about to happen. And completely helpless to do anything to stop it.

"Aw, shut up, brat!" the punk replied, bringing his boot up a little before slamming it back down upon Shinji's head. Red filling his eyes, he cried out despite himself.

"Hey, watch it, man! He's _NERV!"_ one of the other punks pleaded as the leader ground his heel into Shinji's face. "One of the pilots, and -!"

"Yeah? Well, right now, he's getting _my_ nerves!" the punk countered. Stomping Shinji again. And again. Grinding the cleats of his boot deep into Shinji's face. Drawing blood and sending it spilling down to the ground. Making him cry out even more.

And through it all, Shinji's focus was on Misato. He saw her looking in horror at his torment, horror that quickly turned to rage. Her face contorting with animalistic hatred as her eyes exploded with emerald fury.

"_Get…away…from my…SHHII**NNJIIII!"**_ Misato screamed, her voice turning into a bestial roar as green exploded through her veins, causing muscles to surge into existence.

_No…not AGAIN!_ Shinji thought in horror as the monster ripped its way out of Misato's frame. Her breasts swelled tremendously, sending the towel to fall away from her. Heedless of the punks restraining her, she rose to her feet, looking at herself as mountainous muscles exploded throughout her body. Still holding her by her wrists, the punks stared in astonishment as she continued to swell with might, looking from her amazing body to her hateful face. Their hateful grins evaporating before a wave of pure terror, they continued to hold on, too frozen with fear to let go even as she lifted them into the air. Then, the transformation still incomplete, Misato whipped her right arm about, sending one punk flying through a nearby window. The other creep whimpering helplessly, she snarled furiously at him before rearing back and hurling him straight up.

Shinji and the remaining punks looked in astonishment as the one creep flew into the air, screaming in horror before coming down upon a roof several stories above. Then they all turned and focused on the emerging creature. "Uh…" one of the creeps groaned as green washed about Misato's body, and she roared at them in hatred, the monster now fully unleashed. Her teeth gritted in a furious snarl, she advanced on them with clenched fists.

Only now realizing how large an error he had made, the lead creep jumped off Shinji and backpedaled away from the creature. Looking about frantically at his goons, he stammered out, "W-what are you waiting for? _Shoot her! SHOOT HER!"_

These words instantly driving Shinji to prop himself up, he watched as the remaining goons pulled out guns of their own. "_NOOO!"_ he cried in protest even as they opened fire. Misato stopped at the sight of the guns, and brought up her arms as she was hailed with bullets.

"That's it, _that's it! Killitkillitkillit!"_ the leader ordered, even as two of his fellows closed in on Misato, firing relentlessly. Shinji whimpered in terror at the sight, expecting to see her crash down dead before she even hit the pavement. Instead, he gaped in astonishment as the green beast grimaced in hatred, swung out her arms, and roared in defiance. Without a mark on her body.

A moment later, the hailstorm of bullets ended, and was replaced by the sound of several guns clicking on empty at the same time. Looking wildly about, Shinji watched as the goons looked helplessly at their emptied firearms to the creature and back again. As they tried to figure out what had gone wrong, their leader put their confusion into words. "W-what the _hell?"_

As for Shinji, his focus was strictly on Misato, as well as the bullets that lay on the ground before her, smashed and worthless. _Omigod…she's…she's bulletproof!_ Looking at her unblemished green hide, he very nearly fainted with relief. _They - they can't hurt her!_

But even as he thought this, Shinji looked at the creature's face, saw it tighten with additional rage, and he realized that he had been wrong. The sound of the guns had hurt Misato's ears. The flash of the guns being fired offended her eyes. And the impact of the bullets, while causing neither pain nor damage, was something she could still feel. Something she recognized as an attack on her. And all these things annoyed her.

Making her angrier.

Fury growing exponentially, Misato stomped towards the lead creeps, who were fumbling with their guns, struggling in vain to reload them. As soon as she was close enough, she reached out and crushed two of the guns, along with the hands that held them. Shrieks of pain emanating from the wielders, shrieks that intensified when she lifted them up by their crushed hands and whipped them aside. Flying into the walls, the punks fell to the ground like sacks of garbage, blissfully unconscious before they hit the concrete.

Finally getting the idea that sticking around wasn't the best of ideas, the rest of the punks fled in the direction of their truck. The only one to remain was their leader, who turned to stare at them in disbelief at his fleeing forces. "H-hey! _Get back here!_" he shrieked…only to gasp as a massive hand clenched his throat. Choking as he was lifted up off his feet, the punk clawed helplessly at the jade skin, struggling desperately to breathe as Misato raised him up to her face. He paled several shades as she snarled hatefully at him, her grip tightening that much more.

"No…no, please, _please _don't kill me!" the lead creep begged, virtually melting before the hateful glare of the creature holding. "_Don't kill me, don't kill me, please don't kill me!"_

While the punk sobbed and wept and begged, Shinji struggled to his feet. Wincing at the smell of the thug soiling himself, he turned and focused on the transformed woman. "Misato, no! Don't kill him! Please!" he pleaded, placing his hands against her leg, desperately trying to attract her attention. "Please, I'm okay now! You don't have to fight anymore! Please!"

The creature frowned, sparing a moment to glance down at Shinji. Before he could take advantage of this opening, the green beast furrowed her brows and looked past the boy. Suffering a chill, he followed the creature's gaze, and saw the rest of the punks, still trying to get into the truck and escape.

_Oh, no…_ Shinji moaned inwardly, his bad feeling getting that much worse.

* * *

_"What the hell are you waiting for?"_ one of the punks screamed desperately, clinging desperately at the one that had gotten behind the driver's wheel. His eyes locked and continuing to swell as he looked at the immense green beast, her green eyes shining ominously at them. "_Start the car! START THE CAR!"_

"_I can't! HE"S got the keys!"_ the would-be driver responded, gesturing at the member of their group that was dangling from the monster's grip like a sack of wet garbage.

Moaning in despair, the first punk shook his head, marginally aware of another of his companions shoving his way towards the wheel. "Man, oh, _man!"_ he groaned, sweat cascading down his face even as his friend moved to jam a knife into the ignition. "I swear to god, I am _never_ messing with NERV _again!_"

"C'mon…dammit, _c'mon!"_ his friend with the knife swore as he tried to start the truck. Unable to see the creature as its eyes shined that much brighter…before it roared.

* * *

"Uh…Commander Ikari?" Makoto reported, the bespectacled tech leaning in closer to study the information displayed. "I…I think we have a problem."

As much as Gendo didn't want to hear these words, he wasn't really surprised by them. "What is it?"

"That weird pattern of the Major's…its back, sir," Makoto explained, frowning deeply as he looked up at his superior.

"What?" Ritsuko squeaked in dismay. Instantly processing the implications of this statement, she turned towards Gendo. "Commander…"

Ritsuko wasn't able to say anything further. Not that she needed to. Both she and Gendo knew what this meant. "Contact Section 2. Tell them to move in, but to proceed with caution," he ordered smoothly, adapting to the situation as necessary. "I want Katsuragi sedated and transported to NERV Medical immediately. And above all else, I want to avoid another incident if at all possible."

"Yes, sir," Makoto replied as he and his fellow techies went to work. Leaving Gendo to his thoughts.

This wasn't the first obstacle to have appeared in the realization of his scenario, nor did he expect it to be the last. But no matter what happened, he intended to remain in control of the situation. And that meant keeping the information that passed beyond his control kept to the absolute minimum. The less the old men at SEELE knew about what was going on, the better.

* * *

"Remember, be careful in there!" Makoto was heard speaking over the radio. "The Commander wants the Major brought to NERV as soon as possible. Without any trouble."

"Yes, of course. I _do _know how to do my job," Chiron responded in a bored fashion. "Tell Commander Ikari that I'll notify him as soon as Katsuragi has been neutralized. Chiron out." Not giving the otaku a chance to say anything else, Chiron broke the connection to NERV Central…before grinning wickedly.

_I swear, if there's a god, then he loves me!_ Chiron thought as he pressed down harder on the accelerator. His hopes had been fulfilled in spades so far. Not only had Misato once again transformed into a job for Section 2 to handle, but he was already closing in on her position, having been notified by Echo 6 when he had sighted one of the punks flying up over a building before coming crashing down on that roof. _Now all that's left to do is to put that whore down, and call it a night!_

Smiling that much more as it all came together in his mind, Chiron began setting his plans in motion. "This is Captain Chiron to all Section 2 units. Katsuragi has transformed again. I repeat, the target has transformed again." Giving this a moment to sink in, Chiron looked at the computer display next to him, and plotted out his next move. "Teams 9 and 12, you're with me! Teams 1 and 5, close in on our position. We have civilian witnesses in the area, and I want them taken into custody as soon as the target has been contained." His heart beating that much faster at the round of 'yes, sirs' that was then heard, he focused on his air assets. "Echo 1, 3, and 6, close in our position! I want the target boxed in and with nowhere to go! Echo 4 and 5, remain in position! Is that understood?"

Another round of 'yes, sirs' was heard as Chiron floored the accelerator. "You're all mine now, bitch!"

* * *

_Shoot them…_

The creature was staring hatefully at the weak little humans that had scurried into one of the metal things she had seen that evening. They were clamoring noisily as they squirmed about with the stupid metal thing, easy targets. Even with the one human in her hand, it would have been simplicity itself to walk up to the metal thing and smash it, humans and all. And she wanted to smash them. They had attacked her Shinji. Hurt Shinji. And she wanted to hurt them back.

_Shoot them…_

Frowning as the strange words repeated themselves in her mind, words that had from the part of her that was Misato. The creature frowned as images of the Major's training wafted into her, images of her striking from a distance. Images that the green-skinned Amazon simply couldn't understand, which frustrated and confused her. Making her that much angrier.

And yet…the impulse was still there. _Shoot them… _

As these words repeated themselves once more, spurring her rage to new heights, animalistic instinct combined with years of now-buried training. The creature sucked in another breath, her eyes flaring an even brighter green as she gave voice to her frustration by releasing a monstrous roar. A roar that rippled through the air, filling it with bright green as it shot forth and smashed into the metal thing.

* * *

Shinji was beginning to think that the madness of that night would never end.

Misato was growling ominously, her eyes sparking with bright green as her breasts heaved. Then she leaned forward, and cut loose with a roar more savage and terrible than anything he had ever heard in his life. And as she roared, a poisonous green light shown from her throat before erupting from her mouth, sending forth a green distortion that pulsed through the air like an Angel's AT-Field before it slammed into the truck.

Jumping at the sound of metal crumpling and of people screaming in terror, Shinji turned and watched as the truck popped up into the air before coming down on its roof. The shattered vehicle with its panicked occupants skidded backwards, sparks flying up into the air as it came to a halt in the middle of the street.

"Oh, my God," Shinji gasped before looking back at Misato. For a long time, she stared at the truck in obvious surprise, looking almost as stunned as Shinji himself was. But soon her surprise faded, and her face slowly creased into one of delight. Taking another deep breath, she roared again, firing off another shockwave that plowed into a wall, blasting it apart and sending chunks of masonry flying into the air. Giving a low, bestial chuckle, she fired another shockwave, and again. She roared over and over, like she was a little girl playing with a new toy.

Each time she did it, however, Shinji felt his heart breaking that much more. He felt as if the Misato he knew was disappearing more and more, fading beneath the creature that had taken her place. To make matters worse, he had failed her again. He had been supposed to keep her calm. To keep her from transforming until the ambulance arrived, and he had been unable to do even that much more for her.

As another wall exploded into a cloud of dust, Shinji let out a broken sob, tears running down his cheeks. Unable to take it anymore, he focused on the creature, who was about to roar once again. "Misato, stop it!" he cried out, his voice cracking beneath the weight of his own emotions. "Please, _stop!" _Jolted by his cry, the green Amazon paused even as she was drawing another deep breath. Exhaling slightly, she looked down at Shinji. She seemed to be confused, as if she were a little girl being scolded, only she didn't know what for.

Shinji didn't know how to begin to respond to such a look. Instead, he sucked in a breath before looking at the punk she still held by his neck. "Now, please…put him down. Please."

"Yeah, lady…" the punk rasped out. He was clinging desperately to her forearm, trying to alleviate the strain being placed on his fragile neck. "I…promise…I won't even _look_ at him anymore…!"

Looking up sharply at the thug, as if she had only just remembered she was still holding him, the green beast grimaced with renewed hatred. But even as she tightened her grip on him, her gaze wandered to Shinji. And as she looked into his sorrowful face, a bit of the Misato he knew peaked out at him as she frowned sadly. Returning her focus to the punk, she snorted loudly, and then marched over to a nearby dumpster. Growling in distaste, she dumped the thug into the open side. As he landed amidst the garbage, audibly gasping for air, she unleashed a solid kick that sent the dumpster rolling down the alley. It bounced off the walls once before scooting out into the street, where it crashed into the shattered truck.

Giving a slight nod, Misato growled in satisfaction before returning her gaze to Shinji. The boy just stood there, looking at her in tears. "Misato…" he moaned even as the creature moved to him, growling sadly as she crouched down before. The woman he knew once again showing in the beast's eyes as she gingerly caressed his cheeks, wiping away his tears. "What did they _do_ to you…?" Choking as a wad of bile formed in his throat, Shinji continued to stand there, he thought of the people that had sabotaged Jet Alone, trapping his guardian in this monstrous form.

"I - I swear, Misato…" Shinji fumbled out, hatred shifting poisonously about inside of him, "I swear…I'll find whoever did this to you…" Sniffling loudly, he gritted his teeth hatefully. "And I'll make them pay…"

"Shinji…" Misato growled lowly, as if in agreement. Then, another sound was heard.

The sound of numerous engines.

Boy and beast looked about, and winced as numerous headlights filled the alley. A moment later, Shinji grimaced, for he realized he was out of time.

Section 2 had arrived.

* * *

"Move in!" Chiron ordered, his tranquilizer rifle held at the ready as the agents under his command rushed into the alley. Already taking up position before the hideous, muscle-bound freak of nature that Katsuragi now was.

_So _this _is what the damned slut's become, huh?_ Chiron sneered disdainfully as he marched up, professional and ready to put her down. _A mindless savage who runs around causing chaos and mayhem, wearing nothing to conceal her freakish body. How fitting._

Pausing to smile at how appropriate it was that Misato had become on the outside what she had always been on this inside, Chiron frowned at the chatter of his men. "Holy crap!" one of them gasped as he fell into position. "Will you look at the _size_ of that thing?"

"I'm looking!" another, more perverse voice responded. "Man, am I _ever_ looking!"

_What? What kind of man would think a thing like _that _could ever be attractive? _Chiron grimaced in disgust. _Who could ever be interesting in an overdeveloped freak such as that?_ Sickened just by the thought of that, the Section 2 head snorted loudly and put such things out of his mind as he got down to business. "Cut the chatter, you two!" he commanded, already taking aim at the ugly thing. "Just get in position! Fire on my mark!"

"What?" a surprised voice cried out. Glancing about, Chiron noticed the 3rd Child standing just behind the green freak. The pallid little spawn of the Commander gasped before he flung himself in front of the monster, waving his hands wildly in the air. "No, _wait! Don't! Don't shoot! Don't -!"_

_Great. Akagi must've forgotten to tell him we were using tranquilizers, _Chiron grumbled inwardly. Deciding that he should have figured she'd screw up like that, he focused on his target. Even with the stupid kid in the way, the green freak was large enough that even the worst shot on his team would be able to hit her without endangering a pilot that was too dumb to live. "Alright, men!" he commanded, already pulling the trigger, "_Open fire!"_

An instant after the dart flew from his gun, the rest of his people opened fire, showering Katsuragi with tranquilizers. Enough to send an elephant into dreamland. A moment later, he heard a series of thuds, followed by a tinkling as the darts fell away from the beast, bouncing off her skin like it was made of hard rubber. As they landed harmlessly on the ground, their tips bent and useless, he watched as the monster snarled ominously, and crushed the expended darts underfoot as she started towards them.

Realizing that something unexpected had gone wrong, Chiron was about to order his troops to cease fire when Shinji turned about to face the creature. "No, Misato! Please, don't!" he pleaded, spreading his arms and blocking her advance. "It's alright! They can't hurt you! They're just trying to – ack!"

Yelping in pain, Shinji jumped back and looked at his shoulder, where one of the tranquilizer rounds had struck after rebounding off the monster. He stared stupidly at the dart for a moment before moaning loudly, his eyes rolling up into his head as he fell to the ground.

"Cease fire!" Chiron cried out, finally finding his voice. As the rest of his men heeded his command, he watched as the monster they were supposed to dart looked down in surprise at the boy.

"Shinji?" the creature muttered, kneeling down beside the boy. Extending her hand towards him, she caressed his cheek with her finger, as if prompting him to wake up.

The boy groaned at her touch, almost causing her to recoil in fear. "Misato," he groaned, his head rolling from one side, then the next. "Please…don't go…away…"

A low growl of concern emerging from her throat, the monster carefully scooped the boy up in her left arm, cradling him with her immense forearm, his head gently supported in her hand. Frowning in concern, the beast-woman then looked up at the Section 2 agents, who looked back at her. Then, as Chiron looked on, pure, uncontrollable hatred carved itself into her monstrous features.

His heart plummeting right into the ground, Chiron sagged as he realized what was going to happen next. "Oh, _crap…"_

Rapidly sucking in breath after furious breath, the creature's eyes burned brightly before she roared, releasing a wave of green energy that filled the alley and slammed into the agents and their vehicles alike. Chiron felt like a giant had punched the earth and sent it flying off kilter as he and the rest of him men flew through the alley, tumbling helplessly as they flew out into the street.

As he rolled to a stop, Chiron looked wildly about at his men. None of them seemed badly hurt, at least not enough to keep them down for the count. This was fortunate, because their assailant was already stomping her way out of the alley, howling her outrage as she scrutinized her attackers. The rest of his men scrambling to their feet, the freak placed the boy securely between her breasts as she grabbed the nearest car by its front. Metal crunching in protest, she lifted it up without any apparent effort and failed it about, whipping it at the Section 2 men, sending them fleeing for their lives.

_Aw, damn…_ Chiron grimaced. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew when it was time to call a tactical retreat. Breaking into a run, he darted to his own car, which was thankfully untouched. Throwing himself behind the driver's seat, he hit the accelerator and left the monster in his dust.

"This Captain Chiron to all available Section 2 units! We have an emergency! Teams 9 and 12 are down! Tranquilizer rounds have no effect on the creature! I repeat, _no effect!_" Grimacing at this admission of failure, Chiron focused on plotting out his Plan B. "Echo 1, 3, and 6, keep track of the target! I want her in your sights at all times! Teams 1 through 5, I need cleanup and assistance at our original location! Everyone else, go to live ammo and be ready to move in on my -!"

A hideous jolt like a hammer blow from above cut Chiron off, followed by the sound of metal crushing and grinding against concrete. Crying out as it stopped, practically snapping his seatbelt as he was flung forward, the Captain turned and looked about, and practically fainted when he saw that the monster he failed to capture was practically sitting in his backseat. The insensate 3rd Child still clutched securely to her chest, the creature used her free hand to expand the hole she had made in his roof. When she could finally look him in the face, she snarled malevolently and grabbed the back of Chiron's chair. Without any visible effort, she ripped it free of the frame with him still in it.

_No! My baby!_ Chiron cried out inwardly as the creature took him and his chair and flung him down before her. Looking about for a gun, for any kind of weapon, he was brought up short by the sound of metal tearing again. His jaw falling open, he watched as the monster ripped her way through the side of the car before turning about to glare at him. And then she did something he would not have expected.

She smiled. And it was not a nice smile.

Chiron had just enough time to realize that he was not going to enjoy what happened next when the creature went into action. Raising her foot up and bringing down on the car, she held it in place as she leaned over and grabbed the front of his ruined vehicle, and pulled. The frame bent like aluminum foil as the monster folded it up and bent it over Chiron, pressing him in place.

"No…" Chiron sobbed as the creature continued to fold up his car around him, his ruined vehicle seeming to cry out in anguish as its useful life was brutally ended. And as she continued to fold, he grew increasingly certain that he was about to join it. But even as the metal constricted about him, pressing against his legs and cutting off the flow of blood, it suddenly stopped.

Unable to explain this unexpected reprieve, Chiron looked about. His field of vision was extremely limited, but he could still see a bit here and there, and he could definitely hear. And he could hear the sound of bare feet pounding on concrete, allowing him to look about and see the monstrosity responsible for his predicament rounding his ruined vehicle and looking at him. For a moment, he was tempted to think that the creature had expended its energy, and that was why he had been saved.

And then she smiled grimly at him.

The instant she did this, Chiron's mind was awash with fury. She had left him alive on purpose, intent on humiliating him as thoroughly as possible. "Damn you, you blasted whore!" he howled, too furious to think better of this action. "Damn you straight to _hell!"_

The creature snorted loudly at this, and then paused to look down at the boy she still held, her smile fading into a worried frown. A frown that changed even more as she looked back up Chiron, and snarled in a manner that said to him, _Come after us again…and next time you _will _die._

Clutching the 3rd Child even more tightly to her chest, the creature then broke into run, picking up speed until she leapt into the air, disappearing from sight. Leaving Chiron to sag helplessly in his shattered car, thinking, _If there's a god…then he hates me. And he made that bitch the way she is just to show how much he hates me._

* * *

"Sir?" Makoto started, a worried expression adorning his face. "I just got a report from Section 2. It seems the tranquilizer rounds didn't work on the Major!"

"What?" Ritsuko spat out incredulously. "Why not? Her biochemistry didn't change _that_ much!" Shaking her head in protest, she admitted, "I mean…we predicted that she'd be able to burn through a _small _amount of sedative, but a sufficient dose should have -!"

Makoto shook his head at the doctor's confusion. "The tranq darts never penetrated! They just bounced off of her!"

This got Gendo's attention. He looked up at Fuyutsuki, who wore a similar look of befuddlement. "Bulletproof _skin?"_ he wondered, his eyebrows raised as he turned towards Ritsuko.

Shrugging helplessly, Ritsuko answered, "With a mutation this complex…anything's possible, I - I suppose!"

"What's Section 2's current status? Where's Chiron?" Gendo inquired with a deceptive mildness.

"Well, the Major trashed several cars, but she hasn't hurt any of the agents too badly. She trapped Chiron in his car, though. They've got a team trying to get him out, but they say it'll take awhile." Makoto frowned as he deciphered more information coming in. "They've got helicopter units in pursuit, sir. But…"

"But?" Gendo prompted, his glasses shining ominously.

Pausing to clear his throat, Makoto informed them, "Sir…Chiron had authorized the use of lethal force against her."

Ritsuko let out a hushed gasp at this, and Gendo furrowed his brows in disdain. He wasn't particularly surprised by Chiron's unimaginative solution to their problem, but he wasn't certain that it was the approach to take in this situation. Brute force very rarely solved problems, and if what the creature had done so far was any indication, he didn't doubt that it might have other surprises in store for them. And more importantly, he wanted Katsuragi captured alive. Whatever she had become, whatever processes had remade her had given power beyond anything he would have thought humanly possible. And whatever secrets lay within her mutant cells, he wanted them for himself.

"Contact Section 2. Inform them that I am taking direct command of this operation," Gendo announced, steepling his fingers together in the typical 'Gendo pose'.

As Makoto acknowledged this order and went about carrying it out, Fuyutsuki frowned and shot his former student a sideways glance. "What now, Ikari? If the tranquilizer darts couldn't penetrate, then -?"

"We still have the sleeping gas, sensei," Gendo responded easily. "And in the meantime, it might be informative to see how this creature contends with…_bigger_ guns."

* * *

As Hikari sat in her room, frowning as she sewed the damaged garment that lay on the table, she couldn't help but glance at her bed, and sigh longingly.

As much as some people might wish otherwise, there were times that it was tough not being able to sleep a full eight hours a night anymore. Of course, Hikari had to admit that this was mostly because she really didn't know what to do with herself in those long hours, especially since she didn't want to wake up her sisters and father. There were only so much time a girl could spend on homework and sewing, despite how necessary those chores might be.

_Of course, I suppose I could fuss around on the internet, play some online games…_ Hikari frowned, but then she nixed her own idea. She simply wasn't a gamer, or the kind of person that could spend all day online, fooling around on the various sites or working on one of her own. _I bet Kensuke would _love _to be able to go without sleep this much,_ she thought, sniffing loudly at this. _I swear, with all the weirdness going on in this city, I don't know how he even keeps up with it all!_

Shaking her head in dismay, Hikari thought of the various news stories and headlines Kensuke had shown and crowed over in school recently. _Some kind of big, green monster shows up, and all he can do is go on and on about how cool it is._ Rolling her eyes at the memory of their resident otaku and one third of the Three Stooges showing off pictures of the places the monster had destroyed, footprints it had made in concrete, and commenting that he was hacking computers for more information about it, the pigtailed girl snorted loudly. _I bet he wouldn't think it was so cool if he had to deal with something like that face-to-face._

Pausing to imagine Kensuke confronted with such a beast, smirking at the thought of him wetting himself before passing out, Hikari sighed before returning to the tedious task of mending one of her damaged outfits. It was a boring job, but necessary if she wanted to spare her wallet needless pain.

Then, the last stitch was applied to the garment before her, and she smiled in satisfaction. _Finished. And with five more safely hidden away, I should be good for a while._ Brushing an errant strand of hair away from her eyes, she eyed before thinking, _I just hope I don't need any of them any time soon._

The instant this thought was completed, a deadly, familiar sensation encroached on Hikari's mind. _What the – is that an Angel?_ she thought, already cursing herself for jinxing herself so easily. Furrowing her brows in concentration, she focused on the sensation, and found herself shaking her head. _No…no, it doesn't feel like an Angel. It feels like…like…_ Then her eyes widened as she made the connection. _It feels like that creature does. That…whatever-it-is that attacked before._

Trembling somewhat, Hikari thought back to several nights ago, when she had sensed a similar sensation. It had been the night before she gotten up in the morning and learned that Kensuke's mysterious monster had ravaged Tokyo-3. She hadn't sensed it for very long before it had moved too far for her to sense it, but still, the sensation it created in her mind was unmistakable.

"Aw, great," Hikari groaned in dismay, looking unhappily at the costume she had just finished mending. It was late, she had to deal with school in the morning, and the last thing she wanted to do just then was fight some mysterious monster and possibly wind up splashed on the cover of yet _another _tabloid. But at the same time, she knew that the creature was dangerous. She had already had quite a few close calls in recent times, too many according to her old sister, and the last thing she was in the mood for was yet another lecture from Kodama. And if she went out and NERV got involved, the probability of her getting into trouble skyrocketed to heights she was less than thrilled with.

_I mean, it's not that I want people to get hurt,_ Hikari thought as she wrestled with her dilemma,_ but…_

As she struggled with her internal conflict, Hikari became aware of something else. The sound of a helicopter flying overhead. "What the -?" she got out, only to leap out of her chair and go over to her window. Flinging it open, she stuck her head out, and quickly spotted a black helicopter flying off into the distance, its spotlight shining down on the ground. Heading in the same general direction she sensed the disturbance coming from.

Groaning heavily, Hikari placed her hand to her forehead. "Of…course…" she groaned in dismay, something that grew even more intense when she heard two more helicopters flying by. Going the same direction as the first one.

Her heart sinking, Hikari pulled back into her room and went to her table. It seemed that there was no getting out of that lecture after all. NERV was obviously mobilizing, and if whatever was causing the disturbance had gotten their attention, then she knew she had to look into it. _At least it's not an Angel,_ she thought, though that was of little comfort to her at the moment. Judging from what Kensuke had said about the creature, it might be just as bad as one of those notorious beasts. And just as much a danger to the people of this city.

This thought settled any qualms Hikari had about going out. Angel or not, something bad was happening, something that was putting everyone who lived in Tokyo-3 in danger. And that meant that she had to take action. Less than enthusiastically, she looked at the costume that she had just finished mending. _I'm just glad you're ready to go back to work,_ she decided, already shedding her pajamas. _I don't want to start breaking in my other costumes until I have to._

Soon, a girl wearing a white, low-cut top with silver trim appeared from a back alley near the Horaki house. She also wore a red skirt and mask, and her top had the kanji for 'Spirit' embroidered in red on the chest. As soon as she was clear of the alley and had enough room, she thought, _I have wings._ And with that thought, she did. Large, snowy-white wings erupted from her back, sprouting from holes cut expressly for their emergence. Pure, luminescent silver washed away the brown of her hair, and beneath her mask, her eyes suddenly blazed from brown to red.

Hikari Horaki completely disappeared as the teenaged hero known only as Spirit took to the skies, intent on investigating the situation.

* * *

"Shinji?" came Misato's voice. The boy groaned, feeling something splashing across his face. Never before had he felt as tired as he did now, and never had he had to struggle as much to wake up. "Shinji?" Misato's voice came again, and as he groggily opened his eyes, he saw his guardian looking down on him, smiling as her brown eyes filling with relief.

"M-Misato?" he blearily wondered, feeling as if his brain was wrapped in a fog. As he struggled to fully awaken, the image of Misato blurred and grew, turning green. Blinking away more of the sleep, Shinji saw the monstrous beast-woman that had sprang from Jet Alone's reactors kneeling above him, cradling him in one hand as she gently splashed water in his face.

"Shinji…" the creature cooed, even as the boy struggled to sit up. Standing erect, Misato cradled the boy in both arms, staring at him with adoration.

_I guess…it wasn't a dream,_ Shinji thought sadly, his addled brain slowly coming back to life and providing a context for his situation. _I feel so tired. Why…oh, right. The dart…_ With that, more memories came to the fore, and he looked about, trying to get his bearings. Blinking his eyes a few times, he looked about, and soon saw the many towering buildings of Tokyo-3 a short distance away. From their position, he quickly realized that they on the border of the city. Then he gave a quick shake of his head in order to clear more of the cobwebs from it, and looked in a different direction. He discovered that they were on the shore of a lake, with mountains just on the other side of it.

"The lake…" Shinji realized, looking down at the water Misato had found to splash him awake. "We're at…Lake Ashi…" Sighing with emotional and physical exhaustion, he was brought to greater wakefulness when he felt the massive arms holding him tensing. Looking up, he saw the beast-woman's face filling with renewed anger. "What is it?"

Growling lowly, Misato looked off in the distance. "Enemy..."

"Huh?" Shinji wondered, automatically looking in the same direction. Almost immediately, he saw what she was looking at. Three helicopters were heading in their general direction, shining their searchlights this way and that. As they came steadily closer, the green giantess snarled hatefully. With a sudden chill, Shinji realized how she intended to deal with them. "No…Misato…" he weakly pleaded. "Please, don't…fight…"

She turned back to Shinji, and once again he saw _his_ Misato's compassion peeking out at him from behind the emerald irises. Then she looked back at the helicopters, and the creature she had become once again held dominance. Standing up and pressing Shinji tightly to her, the savage Amazon grunted in effort as she leapt upwards, the wind whistling past as they rose higher and higher. Crying out in alarm as the ground fell away, Shinji instinctively wrapped his arms about the creature's thick neck. Barely staving off the urge to close his eyes, he forced himself to down, very nearly fainting when gravity reclaimed them. Crying out again as he envisioned himself being reduced to chunky salsa, he watched as the ground came up, and was shattered by Misato's landing. To his astonishment, he felt the impact only very distantly, as if he fell onto a soft mattress, rather than a street from hundreds of feet up.

While Shinji was shuddering with confusion and terror, the Amazonian beast marched up to a nearby apartment building. Taking a moment to examine the structure, Misato coiled her leg muscles once again and sprang straight up, flying upwards at least twenty stories. As Shinji clung to her that much more tightly, unable to fathom what she was doing, she grabbed hold of the building at the apex of her leap, her fingers digging into the masonry as is it were foam rubber. Quickly kicking footholds into the wall, she fire off another of her deadly roars, blasting the wall in and revealing a small, empty apartment.

"W-what are you doing…?" Shinji wondered absently, the drug still fogging him with sleep even as Misato muscled her way into the building. She paused to examine the small room, and snorting with satisfaction, the green giantess bent down, allowing him to set his feet on the ground. "Huh?" he gasped up, his knees shaking like jelly as he released her. "Wh-what are you…?"

"Shinji…stay…here…" she intoned, the words coming to her with difficulty. Massaging Shinji's cheek with her fingers, Misato then rose up and turned about, stomping her way to the opening she had made. As he continued to watch, he saw one of the helicopters appear just outside the building.

_She…she's trying to protect me!_ Shinji thought incredulously as the helicopter played its searchlight at them. _She thinks I'm still in danger!_ Blanching with horror, he started towards her, reaching out as he croaked, "Misato, wait…!"

But it was of no use. She was already leaping back into battle, grabbing hold of the tail of nearby helicopter and sending into a spin. Moving to get a better view, Shinji spotted the other two helicopters closing in on the one burdened by the creature. Misato spotted them as well, and without hesitation, she ripped off the tail rotor and threw it at another helicopter. The improvised projectile tore through her target with terrifying accuracy, very nearly sending it into another building.

_I…I don't believe this!_ Shinji quailed as the damaged helicopter was sent spiraling down in defeat. While it flopped down on the pavement below, clearly damaged beyond repair, he returned his focus to the ongoing battle. Misato punched a hole in the side of the helicopter she was on before pulling back, a handful of machinery and circuitry sparking in her grasp.

As smoke belched from the helicopter, already spinning down towards a crash landing similar to that of the first one, the third Section 2 craft dropped down, its side door open. Wondering what they were up to, Shinji looked and saw an agent standing at the door, with what looked like a rocket launcher in his hands and a wicked grin on his face.

Frozen in realization, Shinji could only watch as a rocket exploded out of the tube and flew out towards Misato. Distracted by her current quarry, the mighty she-beast took the rocket to her stomach, the resultant explosion tearing away her grip.

_"No!"_ Shinji shrieked as she crashed into the building he was in. Racing up to the opening in the side, he looked down just in time to see guardian tumbling down the side of the building, before crashing down to the ground, a large crater forming upon her impact.

* * *

"_No!_" Ritsuko shouted in horror as she watched those same events through the camera feed of the third helicopter. Twin waves of revulsion and guilt hitting her in the stomach at the sight of her mutated friend breaking pavement. "They were supposed to take her _alive!_"

"They might still do that! Look!" Shigeru reported, the awe clear in his voice. At his words, everyone watched as the creature that had been Misato Katsuragi sat up in the crater. Having survived an explosion and a fall that would have reduced a normal human's body to burning chunks of crushed flesh without so much as a mark on her. Getting back to her feet, the creature then looked up at the helicopter, and roared hatefully. The camera filled with green as the surviving helicopter rose up and away from the creature, determined to avoid the fate that befell the others.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Ritsuko breathed, watching in horror as the killing machine that had once been her friend looked wildly about for something else to smash.

"Incredible…" Shigeru whispered.

"I don't believe this…" Maya moaned in low horror.

"No…way…" Makoto whispered. Then a geeky smile split his face in half. "Wow…she's _awesome…!_"

Rolling her eyes even as Shigeru was shooting Makoto an incredulous look, Ritsuko was brought back to the present by a loud beeping alarm. "What the –what's happening!"

"Sempai! The MAGI have just detected another pattern!" Maya reported, immediately pouncing on her display.

"An Angel?" Gendo asked warily.

"Negative, sir! It looks like a red/blue pattern!" Maya reported as she worked. A beat passed before she turned to look up at her superiors. "Sir! The MAGI have confirmed a pattern match! It's Spirit! She's heading towards the Major's current position!"

_"What?" _Ritsuko spat out before smacking herself in the forehead. "Dammit! As if things weren't bad enough without _her _butting in!"

"Actually, this could work out to our favor," Gendo mused from his position.

Barely suppressing the colorful metaphor that was about to pop out of her mouth, Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki looked incredulously at the Commander. "Order the remaining helicopter to move away for now, but to stay close enough to keep an eye on things. Have the rest of Section 2 standby and await further orders," Gendo ordered as he sat back in his seat, looking intently at the displays. "I want to see what happens next."

Unsure of what Gendo meant, or if she even wanted to know, Ritsuko sighed and watched as the three bridge techs carried out their orders. As the remaining helicopter distanced itself from the battle, it kept its camera trained on the green beast that was Misato.

"Aw, damn! Is she incredible or what?" Makoto grinned with barely suppressed glee as he watched the creature, who was presently busying herself by scaring the living daylights out of the crews of the downed helicopters. Running away from the green giantess as fast as their rubbery legs could carry them, they were then ignored as she glared dangerously at the helicopters. Firing another destructive roar at the further of the downed craft, crumpling it instantly, she then grabbed the closer one and lifted it up effortlessly. "Whoa! I'm calling that attack the Impact Roar!"

"Dude, you read _way_ too many comic books…" Shigeru decided while Maya simply moaned in dismay.

* * *

"What's going on down there?" Spirit wondered, flying towards the where the disturbance was coming from. Her gaze focused on the helicopter she could see, which was quickly gaining altitude. "And where are the other helicopters? I thought there were _three_ there, so where -?"

The winged wonder's question jammed in her throat when she saw one of the other helicopters flying straight her. _Minus_ its tail and main rotor, and looking like it had been the star attraction at a twenty car pileup. Jolted by surprise, Spirit instantly folded her wings and dived beneath the arch of the ruined craft, letting it fly past harmlessly.

Swooping up again, she watched as the helicopter crashed into the top of a nearby building. "What the…?" she gasped lowly, not liking the look of this. Then she returned her attention to the source of the unlikely projectile, blinked away her shock, and continued onward. "Great. Looks like this thing is too much for NERV to handle. Again…"

Closing the distance as quickly as she could, it wasn't long before Spirit was able to spot the culprit behind the helicopter's destruction, which was presently amusing itself by throwing another one into the lake. "Whew! And I thought people were exaggerating when they described that thing!" she muttered as she studied the creature. It was a woman, that much she could tell. She was completely naked and heavily over-muscled, and had to be eight feet tall if she were an inch. And to Spirit's dismay, she was looking up at her.

"Oh, great," Spirit muttered as she came to hover several meters above the not-so-jolly green giantess. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in…talking this out, huh?"

"Spirit!" a voice cried out. Stunned with surprise, Spirit needed a moment to realize that the voice hadn't come from the creature, and a moment more to notice that it was a voice she knew. "Spirit, up here!"

Her mouth popping open, Spirit looked this way and that, before finally looking up and seeing a hole in the side of a nearby building. A small figure was standing there, waving frantically at her. _Shinji? _she squawked inwardly. _What in the – what the heck is he doing up there?_

"Please, don't hurt her!" Shinji cried out, cupping his hands to his mouth. "It's not Misato's fault! Please, you can't -!"

Shinji continued to plead to her, not realizing that Spirit's brain had faltered on the name he had cried out. _What? Mi… Misato?_ Jolted with horror, the airborne adventuress whipped about and looked down at the creature below her. She was still standing there, growling lowly as she examined the teenage hero. Letting Spirit get a good, long look at her face, at the mane of purple hair that cascaded down her shoulders.

"Oh…" Spirit moaned heavily, peeling away the layers of green and muscle in her mind's eye. Her heart plummeting when the face became human, a human that she knew. _Oh, no…he – he's right! It _is _Misato-sama!_ she groaned inwardly, barely able to believe her own eyes. _But…how is this even possible?_

"Spirit!" Shinji cried out again. With a jolt, she realized that he had been calling out the entire time she had been lost in thought, and looked back up at him. "Please…you can't hurt her! Please!"

"I'm not going to hurt her! I'm just here to help!" Spirit replied earnestly, returning her attention to Misato. She still hadn't spoken, and continued to growl lowly as she slowly walked closer to the girl hovering above her.

Looking at the woman's transformed face, Spirit shook her head as recognition and rage seemed to war with each other in Misato's eyes. _What happened to you?_ she wondered sadly, the creature in such a contrast to the playful, intelligent woman she had met. Then, with another look at Shinji, Spirit frowned determinedly. _I better get some answers. As in right now!_

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, Section 2 was as useless as usual! Will Spirit have better luck? Please, read and review! And feel free to check out my other stories while you're at it.

First of all, I want to thank Mike313 for letting Spirit show up for this cameo. Also, I'm going to be using Spirit in my "Heroes United!" story, which will have all the Eva ladies going hero for one amazing adventure. Spirit is actually fairly similar to my own original version for a super-powered Hikari. Though I had planned on her getting her powers from the 11th Angel, by being infected by it. The nanotech in its system would have caused her to get sick at school, where Shinji would have found her, just in time for her to sprout four metallic wings.

Now, since a lot of you have asked, I will make it clear to you know that all of the "Superwomen of Eva" stories will have separate storylines, though as seen here, some of the ladies might pop up in different stories. It will only be in "Heroes United!" that they will all appear, with their original origins, all for one massive adventure.

Now, some people have raised questions as to why Misato acts like the Hulk instead of the She-Hulk in this story, and commented on the differences in their origins, so I thought I would get you some answers. Originally, She-Hulk transformed in response to anger, just like Hulk. However, she wasn't as strong or as savage, and didn't rampage as badly. It was only later that she gained control of her powers, after an encounter with Morbius the Living Vampire. Then, as Tobi said, an exposure to a nuclear reactor locked her in She-Hulk mode. However, in later issues of the Sensational She-Hulk, she was killed after a virus attacked her body, weakening her. She was later revived through additional gamma radiation being sent into her body, which resulted in her becoming savage and more Hulk-like when angry for a time.

So, the short answer is that the level of gamma exposure is a factor in this, but there is also mental trauma. Jennifer Walters seemed to be a relatively well-adjusted woman at the time of her mutation, while Bruce Banner had suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his father. That's why Misato is the way she is in this story; she got the heightened exposure to radiation, and suffered the mental trauma induced by Second Impact.

As for her devastating roar, that came about from three things. One is that, as a military woman, Misato is trained in both firearms and hand-to-hand combat. She used to being able to deal with the opposition at both short and long ranges, and I thought that attack translated that nicely. Secondly, her mutation is different, because she was exposed to the power of Adam. Third, it has to deal with personalities of the mutated. Bruce Banner was a quiet angry person, who locked away his rage rather than give voice to it. Misato, on the other hand, is a _loud_ angry person, who rages and vents in private. I thought this was a good way of expressing that difference.

Whew! I hope that explains things!

Also, Tobi, in Secret Wars issue #3, it wasn't Hawkeye who was taunting the Hulk (though I can understand why you might think so, given his position on that panel), it was Reed Richards. This is something that is confirmed on the next page, when we see the two of them talking as they make good on their escape from the mountain.

I'm really glad that everybody's enjoying this story, and is looking forward to the upcoming chaos! Until then!

Omake

_No! My baby!_ Chiron cried out inwardly as the creature took him and his chair and flung him down before her. Looking about for a gun, for any kind of weapon, he was brought up short by the sound of metal tearing again. His jaw falling open, he watched as the monster ripped her way through the side of the car before turning about to glare at him. And then she did something he would not have expected.

She smiled. And it was not a nice smile.

Chiron had just enough time to realize that he was not going to enjoy what happened next when the creature went into action. Raising her foot up and bringing down on the car, she held it in place as she leaned over and grabbed the front of his ruined vehicle, and pulled. The frame bent like aluminum foil as the monster folded it up and bent it over Chiron, pressing him in place.

"No…" Chiron sobbed as the creature continued to fold up his car around him, his ruined vehicle seeming to cry out in anguish as its useful life was brutally ended. And as she continued to fold, he could feel his legs being slowly crushed, his…

* * *

"Heh heh heh! Take _that,_ you self-important, male chauvinist bastard!" Misato cackled wicked as she typed away, grinning more deeply with each word that appeared on the screen. "Let's see you bragging about having external plumbing once I smash it into oblivion! Right before I do the same to _you!_"

Laughing even more as she continued to type away, Misato instantly froze when she heard a voice behind her asking, "Uh, Misato? What exactly are you doing?"

"Errr…" Misato grimaced, slowly looking over her shoulder to see Orion standing behind her, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. "Oh! Orion! I, uh…I thought you were asleep!"

"Yeah, I was. Until about a couple minutes ago, when I heard somebody cackling like they were about five cans short of a six-pack!" Orion muttered as he came up behind the purple-haired woman. "What the…what do you think you're doing? You _know _you're not supposed to be messing with the script!"

"Aw, c'mon, Orion! I'm not exactly…messing with it!" Misato pouted expertly. "I was just…tweaking it a little, that's all!"

_"Tweaking it?_ You just killed off Chiron, crushed him and his car into a tiny ball, and sent them into orbit!" Orion cried out as he studied the modifications made to the script. "And what's this about Shinji's pants tearing at his…?"

"Um…" Misato hesitated as Orion scrutinized the part of the script where she had been interrupted. "Aw, c'mon, Orion! I was just having a little fun! Aren't you always telling us to have fun with our work?"

"Yes, but not at the expense of the story!" Orion groaned. "Now, I _know _you hate Chiron! Fact is, I'm not too fond of him, either! But we need him around for the story!"

"Why? The creep is a sexist prick who gets off on treating everyone like dirt and bullying people at every chance he gets!" Misato declared vehemently. "Why do we need to keep him around?"

"Because we need someone nasty to head Section 2! I mean, let's face it! I can't imagine Gendo ever choosing someone sweet and loveable as the head of NERV's secret police!" Orion replied. "Besides, the fact that he is such an asshole makes it fun to have him get beaten up, and his being a sexist who gets trashed by superpowered women makes it that much satisfying! Now wouldn't you agree?" Misato frowned somewhat, unwilling to admit that the fanfic writer had a point. "Now, look, I don't mind keeping the bit with Chiron's car getting trashed, but I can't let him get killed off just yet. Now, later in the story, probably, but not just yet. So please, be patient, okay?"

"Ugh…being patient isn't one of my strong suits," Misato admitted.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll make it up to you later," Orion vowed. "Now, c'mon, out of the chair! I've got some rewrites to do here!" Frowning petulantly, Misato slowly stood and made her away from Orion's desk, allowing the fanfic writer to take her place. "Sheesh…and I just got done overhauling this chapter, too…"

"Oh, don't worry about, Orion!" Misato cooed as she exited his office. "I _promise_ I'll make it up to you later!"

Sighing wearily as she disappeared from sight, Orion shook his head and muttered, "I swear, I'm a slave to my own hormones." With that statement, he went to work on modifying Misato's additions to the script.


	7. Clash of Heroes

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 7: Clash of Heroes

As he sat in his seat of power on the bridge, Gendo watched the scenario unfolding before him with keen interest. When he had heard that Spirit was coming, he was initially concerned, but at the same time, if she could soften the Major up, distract her so that Section 2 could more easily subdue her, then he was willing to tolerate her presence. However, he found himself increasingly interested in the way the beast that was now Misato reacted to this spanner in NERV's works. "Interesting," Gendo mused thoughtfully, especially intrigued by the close-up of Misato's face, which revealed the emotions of the creature for all the world to see.

"What should we do, sir?" Ritsuko wondered nervously. Gendo didn't bother to answer her; instead, he continued to ponder the situation, as well as the base feelings shown in the creature's face. From everything they'd seen so far, it was obvious that the Major still had some memories of her human existence. And those memories would have included Spirit, whom he knew she did not think of as an enemy. But at the same time, he could still see anger in her face, anger and hatred and loathing he instantly recognized.

_She sensed Adam,_ Gendo recalled, thinking things through. _She didn't realize what it was she was reacting to, but she could still sense him. _And if that were still the case, then he knew why she was experiencing such anger in response to someone she viewed as the enemy of her enemy.

Gendo had no doubt that Spirit had gained her extraordinary powers from a special sedative that Dr. Akagi had created and eventually dumped into Lake Ashi, a sedative containing DNA from Unit 00. As a result, portions of a human girl's original DNA had been overwritten with that cloned from Adam, thus creating Spirit. So Misato had to recognize Spirit as at least being part Angel, but at the same time, her human memories of a potential ally was keeping her legendary hatred of the Angels at bay.

_At least, for now,_ Gendo smiled, his plan taking shape instantly.

"I suppose having Section 2 try and get rid of her is out of the question," Asuka muttered beneath her breath.

"Now, Asuka, relax," Kaji told her easily. "I'm sure she doesn't mean any harm."

"But Kaji-kun, the glory-grabbing bitch is _sure _to screw things up just by _being_ there!" Asuka hissed vehemently. "Why can't those Section 2 morons just…fire a few rounds at her? Get her to pack it up and go away?"

_That's not a bad idea, 2nd Child,_ Gendo thought poisonously. "Lieutenant Hyuga."

"Huh?" Makoto replied, spinning about in his seat. "Uh, yes, sir?"

"Order the helicopter to move in closer," Gendo ordered. Waiting until all eyes were all focused on him, the Commander continued, savoring his next words. "Have them fire a rocket at Spirit, but only after making sure that she will see it coming."

"Uh…sir?" Makoto wondered, his eyes rife with confusion. "Why are we -?" Gendo shot him a glare, killing his urge to question his order so blatantly. "Well, w-what I mean is…if we do that, then…won't she just block it with her AT-Field?"

"That's exactly what I'm hoping for, Lieutenant," Gendo replied. "Now give the order. Immediately."

Deciding it would best not to test his luck against the Commander, Makoto sighed before doing as he was told. As he did so, Ritsuko turned and looked disbelievingly at Gendo. "Sir…what are you doing?"

"Reminding the good Major as to her purpose in life," Gendo purred, even as the helicopter lined up to take the shot. Its camera relaying giving him a perfect view of Spirit as she looked about in confusion. Completely unaware of the doom that awaited her.

"Your meddling ends today, girl," Gendo smiled even as the helicopter crew fired.

* * *

The creature that had been buried within Misato's mind looked at the winged girl in confusion, caught between two completely opposite impulses. The first was of instinctive recognition, a knowledge that the creature had encountered her or something like her in the past. Something terrible. Something dangerous. Yet, from the mind of Misato Katsuragi, came images of this girl as an ally, an enemy of her enemies. Instinctive loathing collided with wisps of a different life in the creature's primitive mind, leaving her confused and unsure of what to do. Attack or don't attack? She had no clear course of action. All she could be really certain of was that the winged girl hadn't attacked her or Shinji yet. In fact, she seemed to be flying away from the creature, without doing anything.

As the green she-beast struggled to resolve her dilemma, one of the flying machines that had been harassing her returned, drawing closer to the winged girl. The creature snarled, knowing _this_ to be an enemy. Eager to take her frustration and vent it something that she knew needed to be smashed, she gathered herself up to leap even as the machine turned, and released something that belched fire and smoke at the winged girl.

The flying girl didn't even flinch. "Oh, _please!"_ she gritted in irritation as a wall of orange light shimmered into existence between her and the projectile, shielding her when it exploded. "Like that's gonna work?"

The winged girl said something else, but the creature didn't hear it. All she could see was the wall of light shimmering beneath the cloud of flame and smoke, its appearance causing the bestial Amazon's mind to explode into flames. And from those flames erupted a tidal wave of horrid memories, memories of death and destruction and horror and pain that sent the creature staggering backwards. Clawing at her head, whimpering as she tried to rid herself of the horrifying images that assailed her, she shuddered helplessly. Unable to cope or comprehend the memories or what force had caused them to emerge.

"Okay, if you bozos are done wasting my time, I'll be getting some answers now." Gasping at the voice that penetrated the miasma of fire and death shrouding her mind, the creature looked up at the winged girl, who sniffed disdainfully at her attackers. "Then when I've _got_ those answers, maybe I'll come back and show you what I think of them!"

The winged girl then turned and continued to fly upwards towards the place where Shinji was hidden. But the creature couldn't see her anymore. All she could see was four wings of burning destruction rising up into the sky, consuming everything in their path. Transforming an entire continent into an ocean of death, chaos pain and chaos around the world…and stealing everything from a little girl who floated helplessly in a metal capsule, a mute witness to the horror before her.

"A…Adam?" the creature whispered in dread awe, watching as the girl with wings flew towards Shinji. Then her awe faded, and a hatred so powerful and all-consuming appeared that it swept across her mind, wiping out everything in its path. Misato's memories, the flying things, everything else was forgotten as she glared at the thing with the power that had stolen everything from flew up towards _her_ Shinji.

"Adam…!" the creature breathed, her face twisting with abject rage and determination. "Adam!" She sucked in a furious breath, her mind conjuring up images of the cruel beast that had already taken so much stealing Shinji away from her as well. _"Adaammm!"_

* * *

_"Adaammm!"_

Trembling at the bestial roar that cut through the air, Spirit felt goosebumps rising up from her flesh as she turned and down towards the source. To her horror, she saw Misato standing below, her body tensed and fists clenched. And even worse, her face was twisted with such raw, animalistic loathing that it scared her just to see it.

_"Addaaaammmm!"_ Misato roared again, a deadly green light building up in her throat that spilled out at Spirit in the form of a tumultuous shockwave.

_"Arrrgh!"_ Spirit cried out, too surprised to raise her AT-Field before the shockwave slammed into her. Her wings wrenched by the force of the blow, she was sent tumbling, completely out of control as she fell to the ground. Just before she crashed into the concrete, she spread her battered wings, gritting her teeth as they caught the wind. Despite the damage to her wings and body, she was able to slow her descent just enough so as to be able to land on her feet.

Collecting her wits, Spirit did her best to ignore the various aches and pains assailing her, certain they would be gone soon enough. Already, her injuries were healing themselves, her damaged wings already mended. Just as Misato again roared, _"Addaaaammmm!"_

_Aw, crap!_ Spirit thought as she looked towards the beast-woman, turning white with fear. The creature that had once been Misato was rushing towards her like an out-of-control freight train, her arms stretched out to the sides as she closed in. Instinctively flapping her wings, trying to get some distance, Spirit was denied the freedom of the sky when Misato leapt at her, her monstrous hands filling the Angelic superwoman's field of vision before she again folded her wings and arched backwards. The move took the green savage by surprise, allowing her to pass overhead harmlessly, but it also sent Spirit falling back to the ground. Losing no time, she used her wings to help her flip over and regain her footing. Just in time to see Misato crashing down to the ground, snarling hatefully as she pulled herself back up and charged again.

"Wait, Misato! I'm not -!" Spirit protested in vain, holding her hands out before her as the beast charged, releasing a devastating punch at her that missed by mere inches. Glaring at the winged girl with increasing hatred and frustration, Misato quickly turned about and fired another punch. Leaping to avoid the merciless blow, Spirit gasped as the ground shattered, sending chunks of rock and dust flying up at her.

_I don't believe this!_ Spirit gaped, her AT-Field deflecting the worst of the debris. _I thought I was strong, but she…she's…!_ She wasn't given the time to complete this thought, for already Misato was advancing on her again, her eyes practically glowing with her ever-increasing rage. Her concentration broken, Spirit's AT-Field failed as she dodged another punch.

"Misato, please stop it!" Spirit pleaded, trying desperately to talk the creature down before she was forced to do something she knew they would both regret. "I don't want to fight you! Please!"

The savage beast-woman didn't respond. Spirit didn't know whether it was because she was lost in her rage or simply didn't understand the words any longer. All the winged wonder knew was that the thing that had once been Misato Katsuragi continued to lash out in mindless hatred with fists that could shatter entire mountains.

* * *

As Shinji watched from his relative safe haven, he felt as if he was going out of his mind from sheer helplessness. "No! _Misato, stop!"_ he cried out over and over again, pleading and begging in every way he knew, desperately trying to break through to her. His words had no effect, however. The green-skinned berserker continued attacking Spirit, crying out in growing rage and fury.

_But why? Why is she attacking Spirit, anyway? _Shinji asked feverishly, trying to make sense of what was going on. Misato still knew him, despite her transformation, so she had to remember Spirit. And she certainly didn't have reason to attack a hero fighting to stop the Angels. _So why? Why would she attack like this? Spirit didn't do anything to hurt me or her! So why -?_

_"Addaaaammmm!"_ the savage she-beast roared, her hateful voice shaking the very building Shinji was standing in. As well as breaking through his confusion, sending his eyes flying wide open with realization.

_Wait…she's been calling Spirit Adam...!_ Shinji gasped inwardly, rapidly snapping the pieces into place. _Adam…as in…the first Angel?_ At this thought, he flashed back to a short time before. When he had seen Misato staggering backwards, confused and frustrated. Right after Spirit had used her AT-Field.

_Omigod…that's it!_ Shinji blanched, looking down at the battle with renewed horror. _Misato…she must think Spirit is an _Angel!_ She'll kill her!_ With that thought, he looked up from the battle to the helicopter that was still flying overhead, the one that had provoked Spirit into using the protective barrier that all Angels had. _But…does that mean…?_

"Ack!" Spirit cried out again, wrenching Shinji from his thoughts. Again leaving him helpless to do anything but wait and watch from a distance as his guardian tried to murder someone who had come only wanting to help...

* * *

Down below, Spirit was thinking similar thoughts to Shinji. While she was unaware of the importance of the name Adam, she did know that Misato had only attacked after she had used AT-Field. And as she continuously dodged the lethal giantess's blows, she spared a moment to look up at the helicopter that had fired on her.

_So this is what NERV was up to! They tricked me into using my AT-Field!_ Spirit thought bitterly, looking at the savage, primitive creature Misato had become. _They must've figured that with her head messed up, she'd figure I was an Angel! They _want_ us to fight! _Making a mental note to serve the creeps in the helicopter some well-deserved payback when this was over, the Angelic superwoman gasped as Misato sent her bone-crushing fists at her again.

_Of course, the first thing I have to do is get out of this mess alive!_ Spirit realized as she leapt backwards, desperately dodging another series of hammer blows. The only thing working in her favor was Misato's own size. The angelic hero could see the blows coming long before they were launched, simply by watching the way the beast-woman's muscles coiled about beneath her skin. _Good thing I spend a lot of time watching people with big muscles on TV! _she thought with a bit of humor. _Who'd have thought watching 'American Gladiators' reruns would come in so handy?_

Making a mental note to thank Nozomi for making her watch that stuff, Spirit considered her options. She wasn't going to get anywhere by dodging Misato all night, and she didn't want to use her AT-Field again, given how the emerald Amazon had reacted to it. _Just one chance. I have to find out what happened to her. And that means I have to knock her down long enough to get to Shinji,_ Spirit realized, focusing on the monstrous woman and the way she moved. Watching and dodging another round of monstrous blows, waiting for the right moment. That moment came when Misato rushed at her, firing off another devastating punch. Calling upon all her superhuman speed and agility, Spirit dropped down below the blow, and charged towards her opponent. _You can dish it out, Misato!_ she thought as she drew back her fist_. Now let's see how well you can take a hit!_ With that, Spirit fired a punch laden with all her superhuman strength into Misato's solar plexus. The two of them froze up the instant the blow connected…and the air was filled with the sounds of bones shattering.

_"Yeeearrrgggh!"_ Spirit screamed, leaping away from the green beast and held up her right hand, feeling as if she had punched into layers of coiled steel. Clutching her wrist as the broken bones quickly mended themselves, the winged heroine looked up just in time to see Misato lash out with her forearm. Unable to move or think, Spirit took the blow right to her chest. Her ribs shattering from the impact, she flew backwards like she had just been shot from a cannon.

Her body on fire even as the shattered bones and abused flesh mended themselves, Spirit fell to the ground, skidding across the concrete, leaving a trail of feathers, skin, and blood in her wake before she finally came to a stop. _Oh, great,_ she thought ruefully as she forced herself back up, already noting the torn fabric of her costume as her body once again mended itself. _And I just finished fixing this thing, too._

Grimacing as the last of her injuries faded, Spirit gasped in horror as Misato once again bore down upon her, gleeful hatred shining in her eyes. Knowing precisely what would happen if the jade giantess were allowed to bring her bone-crushing hands to bear again, the winged girl panicked, summoning a ball of burning white energy in her hand. "_No!"_ she cried out, not even thinking as she launched the bolt at Misato. The blast sprouted arms, becoming cross-shaped before it caught the green beast right in the stomach. Screeching in surprised outrage, the emerald Amazon was hurled backwards by the force of the blast.

"_Misato!"_ Shinji cried out despairingly as Misato crashed into a smaller building.

_Oh, God! What have I done?_ Spirit thought in horror, realizing that she had attacked an innocent with a cross-blast capable of blowing a chunk out of a mountain. Spreading her wings and taking flight once again, she flew over the building she had shot Misato into. Examining the hole in its walls, the winged warrior immediately knew that nothing human could have ever survived such a blow. But then, she realized that she could still sense the strange sensation Misato now caused in her mind, and even heard low growls coming from inside.

_Whew! That's a relief! _Spirit thought gratefully, secure in the knowledge that she hadn't killed a friend. _She probably has healing powers like mine!_

Exhaling sharply, Spirit descended a short distance and came to hover in front of the hole. "Misato? It's me, Spirit!" the winged girl called out, hoping that the blast had knocked some of the fight out of her. "Can you hear me? Really, I just want…to…" Her voice trailed off as the entire building shook and trembled. A huge drop of sweat rolled down the side of her face as she flew back a short distance, giving her a perfect view of the foundation breaking apart, and of the building as five stories of concrete and steel rose up from the street.

_Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me…_ Spirit thought in dismay as she once again heard a roar of pure hatred. Just before Misato threw the entire building at her. Without room to dodge, the Angelic heroine fired another cross-blast, breaking up the impromptu projectile into smaller fragments before it could strike home. Then she expanded her AT-Field, which was sufficient to block the remaining debris.

As the cloud of destruction fell away from her, Spirit watched as Misato appeared once more, roaring her outrage. The she-beast's eyes flashing brightly, she fired another of the newly-dubbed Impact Roars at her. Spirit quickly countered with another cross-blast, cutting through the green shockwave effortlessly before slamming into Misato.

_Whew! At least that's _one_ department where I have the edge on her,_ Spirit thought grimly, feeling no satisfaction as Misato shrugged off the blast like it was nothing. _That, and she can't fly after me. And I still…have my mind._ Snarling furiously, the green beast leapt up at the nimble teen, forcing her to take full advantage of her wings in a desperate attempt to distance herself from the savage destroyer.

* * *

"Excellent," Gendo smiled as he continued to watch the battle from the comfort of the bridge. Observing the savagery and hatred demonstrated by Misato as she leapt at Spirit again and again, trying determinedly to wrap her hands about some portion of the winged girl as she continually evaded the strikes.

"Sir, I…I'm afraid I don't understand," Makoto muttered, not sharing in Gendo's enjoyment. "W-why did we do that? Trick the Major into attacking Spirit?"

"Spirit is an annoyance, a meddler who has gotten in our way too many times. Thanks to her, we've almost lost funding for our work, and her continued interference will eventually lead to disaster," Gendo declared in a reasonable manner. "So far, she has proven to be clever and powerful enough to elude capture." Then he nodded at the screen, and added, "However, the Major doesn't seem to have that problem, does she?" Ignoring the blatant looks of horror, the Commander smiled at continuing battle. "Now, the two of them will continue fighting each other until one is defeated, and the other is too spent to continue. Then Section 2 will move in with the sleeping gas…and we will have them both."

"Oh, yeah!" Asuka grinned wickedly, pumping her arms up and clenching her fists in a clear display of triumph. "Finally! It's about time we took care of that winged slut!"

"But…Asuka, what if the Major kills Spirit?" Maya wondered fearfully. "She's so strong…and with as out of control as she is…!"

"Then a petty annoyance will have been disposed of," Gendo countered before Maya could could finish. "And I'm certain we could learn everything we need to know about Spirit…from her remains."

Ignoring the appalled disgust that this statement earned him from his subordinates, as well as the delighted chuckling Asuka made, Gendo returned his attention to clash going on before him, and smiled cruelly, his fingers steepled together in front of him.

_Who says there's no such thing as free entertainment anymore?_ Gendo chuckled inwardly. The only thing he was really missing was a soda and some popcorn.

* * *

Spirit knew she was tiring. It was slow, and she didn't get tired easily, but she could feel her strength faintly ebbing away. Her wings burning from the constant evasions, her lungs heaving, desperate for a reprieve.

Misato showed no signs of exhaustion. If anything, she seemed stronger now than she had been before. Only Spirit's power of flight kept her out of harm's way, and she knew that wouldn't be enough to help her friend. Nor could she simply fly away; as crazed and furious as Misato was now, she would likely follow Spirit wherever she went. They had been lucky in that the section of Tokyo-3 they were in was apparently deserted, but if they took the battle elsewhere, then the danger of someone else getting involved was more than Spirit could risk.

_I have to get some answers! _Spirit knew, but unfortunately, the only person who might know of those answers and would be willing to tell her was Shinji. And she was too busy keeping away from Misato to fly over to him. Let alone what would happen if the she-beast were to catch her in an enclosed space, where her wings were useless…

_Just one chance, _Spirit thought grimly, another orb of white energy forming in her hand._ I have to knock Misato away again, stop her long enough to get to Shinji and get him away from here _before_ she can catch me!_

Watching as Misato leapt at her once again, Spirit quickly dodged her again, and watched as she fell back down to earth. "At least I know this won't hurt you too much," she commented as she took aim, trying to mitigate her own regret. "And I don't have to worry about _your_ costume getting wrecked!"

With a cry of battle, Spirit launched the cross-blast down at Misato. Still looking at her quarry, the green-skinned savage raised her arms in order to block it. As the bolt of energy slammed into her, the creature growled hatefully, as if daring the blast to do its worst to her. Her feet digging furrows in the concrete as she was pushed backwards, the green beast roared furiously…before she tore the cross-blast apart in an act of pure, brute strength.

Spirit just hung there, her eyes wide with shock. "Aw, gimme a break! What's it gonna take to -?" she cried out in mix of frustration and despair. Then Misato focused her deadly glare at her, freezing Spirit's tongue in her mouth as the emerald savage leapt at her again like she was a big target. Taking a microsecond to remind herself not to leave herself open like that again, the winged adventuress raised her AT-Field, just in time for Misato to slam harmlessly into it.

Misato already sliding back down to the ground, Spirit sighed in relief. A sigh that was cut off as the Amazonian destroyer grabbed at the AT-Field, her fingers actually _sinking_ into it.

_"No!"_ Spirit cried, recoiling as the emerald nightmare pulled herself back up, indescribable hatred and rage etched into her face.

_"Addaaaaammmmm!"_ Misato roared as she pulled at the field. The ethereal energy stretching like taffy, she bit into the field, causing it to tear ever so slightly.

* * *

"What the hell?" Shigeru gaped as Misato started tearing into the AT-Field. "How can she – is the Major generating an AT-Field as well?"

"Negative! It looks like energy field she's throwing off is focusing on Spirit's AT-Field! It's somehow neutralizing the phased space!" Maya reported, looking from the battle to her display and back again. "She's tearing the AT-Field apart!" True to the technician's words, Misato finally ripped through the protective barrier like it wasn't there, throwing herself at her prey. Helpless to do anything to defend herself, Spirit cried out in terror as the Amazonian beast grabbed onto one of her wings, shattering it in her eagerness.

Screaming helplessly as her wing was wrenched, Spirit struggled to stay aloft, but her lone good wing wasn't enough to support them both. Crying out in pain and defeat, the winged girl struggled to at least remain above Misato as the two of them tumbled back down to the ground.

Coming down on her feet, a crater forming at her landing, Misato grinned savagely as she hefted Spirit overhead before smashing her down against the broken concrete. Screaming in pain, the winged girl struggled to free herself, but the jade destroyer promptly drove her foot deep into the girl's stomach, resulting in further cries of agony. Agony that was increased as Misato clenched the broken wing, and with a sharp, sudden tug, ripped it out entirely.

"No! _She's killing her!"_ Maya cried out.

"I don't believe this!" Makoto gaped in astonishment. "Spirit's as powerful as a real Angel or an Eva, and the Major is walking all over her!"

_I know,_ Gendo smiled deeply, watching as Misato grabbed Spirit by her thigh and remaining wing, and twisted her body like she was wringing out a towel. The superhuman girl putty in the hands of the seemingly unstoppable beast-woman.

Chuckling beneath his breath, Gendo continued to watch as a major obstacle to his scenario slowly died in pain. New plans of his own taking already shape…

* * *

"_Misato, PLEASE! Stop it! You're killing her!"_ Spirit heard Shinji cry out over the sound of her bones shattering. Never in her entire life had she ever been in so much pain as she was now. Making it even worse was the gleeful, implacable look of unadulterated hatred in Misato's face.

Spirit knew that the beast Misato had become could kill her quickly, simply by crushing her skull or snapping her neck. But she didn't. She was taking her time, because she was enjoying every moment of the torture she was inflicting on her. Caught up in her frenzy of destruction, she couldn't hear Shinji. She was too far gone to hear anything but the screams of pain of the creature in her hands.

Every ounce of her rage unleashed, the creature tore out the Spirit's other wing, sending blood splattering in every direction as she screamed even more. Roaring in delight at the girl's pain, Misato grinned and began flailing her about, smashing her into ground over and over again. Each impact further pulverized her broken bones, ripping open her skin and leaving her a bloody mess as the wrathful giantess wound up and threw Spirit into another building.

Crashing into the wall at over 70 mph, Spirit felt as if she should have died right then and there. When Misato fired another Impact Roar at her smashing her through the wall, she found herself wondering if that wouldn't be preferable.

But as she lay on the ground inside the shattered structure, Spirit realized that she had been bought a precious reprieve. For even as she lay there, utterly helpless and unable to move, the miraculous healing power that she possessed kicked in and began to mend her broken body. Her crushed bones slowly realigned and fused back together, fresh skin appeared to cover up her many injuries, and a new set of wings were springing up from the bloody holes on her back.

"Ah…ugh…" Spirit moaned as her shattered body restored itself. But the sheer amount of damage she had taken was taking time to heal, and time was one thing she knew she didn't have much of. For even as she looked at her regenerating flesh, she very nearly died of sheer fright when she saw Misato bearing down upon her, stumbling in her eagerness to kill her.

_C'mon, Spirit! Hurry up and heal!_ she thought, trying to will herself to recover faster. _Or she's going to make sure that you never have the chance!_

But as fast as Spirit's healing power worked, Misato proved to be that much faster. The green destroyer smashed her way into the teen's temporary haven, grinning maliciously upon seeing her prey so utterly helpless. Too weak and injured to even move, Spirit watched as the monster woman picked her up by the neck, cutting of her air. Lifting her up so that their eyes met, the bestial Amazon drew back her fist, savoring this moment.

"Smash," Misato growled with a deep smile.

"No…" Spirit wheezed out, raising up her right hand as a diminutive orb of energy appeared in her palm. With the last of her strength, she fired the tiny cross-blast into Misato's face.

Too focused on her prey, Misato didn't even notice the tiny cross-blast until it struck her in the eyes. As it exploded in a flash of light, the jade monstrosity cried out in agony, dropping Spirit as she stumbled backwards. "What the…?" Spirit gasped out as the last of her injuries faded, looking at Misato like the world was even crazier than she thought.

_She shrugs off blasts that shatter mountains, but starts screaming over _that_ tiny little thing?_ Watching in disbelief, she saw Misato bring her hands away again, and saw tears streaming from her eyes. Her…unfocussed eyes…

_Wait! That's it!_ Spirit gaped, hope returning to her as she got back to her feet, whipping out another tiny blast into Misato's face. As before, she screamed in pain, covering her eyes. _That blast didn't _wound_ her, it _blinded_ her! Then, maybe…_

Taking flight, Spirit moved quickly so that she was just behind Misato. "Alright, greenie, _lend me your ears!"_ she cried out just before slamming her palms down upon the creature's ears with all the strength she could muster. Once again, she howled in pain and outrage, falling to her knees as she cradled her head in her hands, her sense of balance seriously disrupted.

_Now's my chance! Better make it count!_ Spirit thought, taking position so that Misato was between her andLakeAshi. Crouching, she brought her hands together at her side, taking a pose familiar to fighting manga fans everywhere, mustering all the power she could bring together. Waiting as long as she dared, building the white orb of power in her hands bigger and brighter. All the time watching as Misato once again got to her feet, and glared at her with unimaginable hatred.

"_Take this!"_ Spirit cried out, firing off all the accumulated energy in one tempestuous strike. The cross-blast she released had a ring of energy around the front, and the arms that spread out from it looked more like fiery wings. The tremendous wave of destructive power slammed mercilessly into Misato, who screeched in shock and pain as she was sent flying across the surface of Lake Ashi. The savage beast plowed into the mountainside, a massive plume of dust and smoke erupting from the site of the impact.

Panting in relief, Spirit stared at the mountains, still sensing Misato's unusual energy looming dangerously. "I sure hope that knocked her out," she breathed haggardly, barely able to stand upright. "Though the way this day has been going…I'll take a five minute breather."

Looking at the helicopter that still hovered nearby, Spirit knew that she now had a clear path. "Time to get some answers," she muttered, taking another look at the mountains, where Misato's energy seemed to grow again. "Before she comes back for Round Two!"

* * *

"I'm calling _that_ the Halo Wave!" Makoto declared enthusiastically.

"Aw, _schisse! _The damned bimbo got away!" Asuka snarled in disgust, folding her arms across her chest and sticking her nose into the air. "Figures that Major Monster would blow it!"

"What's Katsuragi's status?" Gendo asked coolly, ignoring Kaji as he tried to placate the irate redhead. Focusing on Spirit as she took off, looking a good deal worse for wear. "Is she still alive?"

"Yes, sir. We're still detecting her pattern," Maya replied, frowning momentarily. "But sir…the energy signature…it seems to be getting stronger."

"What?" Ritsuko got out. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sempai. I…I thought it had increased earlier, but I wasn't sure," Maya admitted. "But now…after that blast…"

"What now, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki cut in, his eyes narrowed. "After what Spirit did, Katsuragi might decide that this fight isn't worth the trouble."

"She won't. She'll be heading back into battle as soon as possible," Gendo declared in all confidence.

"After all, that sort of single-minded determination is why I chose her as my Operations Director in the first place." Watching the energy signature continued to grow, the Commander narrowed his eyes. "She won't stop fighting…until her enemy has been defeated."

While Fuyutsuki was digesting this statement, Gendo adjusted his glasses, awaiting the final showdown between the two superhumans. Already anticipating the look on the 3rd Child's face when he saw his guardian come to him, her hands irrevocably stained with Spirit's blood…

* * *

On the far side of Lake Ashi, on the side of one of the mountains, rocks of different shapes and sizes were cascading down the slope. Falling from a newly formed impact crater, in which something large was rising up.

Already recovered from Spirit's Halo Wave, the emerald savage stood and looked across the lake at Tokyo-3. She had been angry before, filled with hatred of the creature that bore the same power as Adam, but now the creature was beyond enraged. The thing had actually caused her pain, hurting her eyes and ears, hammering her with the massive blast that had sent her flying away. And now the she-beast was far away from Shinji, while the winged girl was near him. Near enough to hurt him, to take Shinji away from her, just as her family and her life had been stolen, so very long ago.

_We won't let Adam hurt Shinji,_ the creature thought, ghostly wisps of Misato's mind combined with primitive, savage impulses. _Shinji is friend. Shinji is family. We love Shinji. We will _protect_ Shinji, and we will crush Adam, kill Adam, smash Adam…_

Pure love and mindless hatred merged together in the creature's mind, she leapt into the air, ready to finish what she had started. She would kill Adam, and she would kill all the stupid, puny little humans who would hurt Shinji, make him suffer even more than he already had. And she would kill anyone else who tried to take him away from her.

She would kill them _all…_

* * *

As Spirit flew up towards the hole in the building from which Shinji stood watching, she felt like she was flying with anchors wrapped about her legs. The battle with Misato had pushed her to her limits. She had never had to heal so much damage so quickly and frequently, and the immense Halo Wave had drained her strength even more. Making matters worse was that she could sense the strange energy that Misato produced coming closer.

_I guess I should be relieved she's still alive_. _But…I thought for sure that blast would at least knock her out or slow her down or something! _Spirit thought, shaking her head in disbelief at this. _If Shinji doesn't know of any way to stop her, I'm in _big_ trouble, not to mention the rest of Tokyo-3!_

Imagining the bludgeoning engine of destruction Misato had become rampaging throughout the city, sending people running for their lives, menacing her sisters and her father, Spirit gritted her teeth and forced herself to fly faster. Eventually, she rose up to the hole in the side of the apartment building, where Shinji stood waiting. "Spirit!" he cried out as she entered the apartment, barely managing to land on her feet instead of her face. "A-are you okay? Are -?"

"I – I'm okay," Spirit replied, making sure not to say the boy's name. To not do anything to betray her secret identity. Sucking in a breath, she paused to look back out the hole. Painfully aware that the monster that had very nearly killed her was getting closer with each passing second. "Listen, please, we don't have much time! That thing out there…!"

"It's Misato!" the boy countered, looking scared and on the verge of completely losing it, something that Spirit understood. "Please, you have to help her!"

"Don't worry, I will!" Spirit promised, hoping that she didn't wind up making a liar out of herself. "But I'm going to need your help to do that!" Shinji looked at her, giving a determined nod. "Do you know what's happening to her?"

"It's some kind of mutation!" Shinji gasped out. "She was irradiated by Jet Alone's nuclear reactor! It's not her fault!"

"Jet Alone?" Spirit repeated blankly.

"I – I – I don't understand it, either, but – that's what Dr. Akagi told me!" Shinji replied. "Uh – she's -!"

"The Head Scientist of NERV, I know," Spirit told him absently as she considered what he had told her. On the one hand, his story sounded like something from a bad science-fiction movie, and radiation alone couldn't possibly account for the Angelic power she had sensed in Misato. But on the other hand, Shinji had no reason to lie to her, and Spirit had no idea what was responsible for the origin of her own powers. Then she winced as a distant roar cracked the air and sent the hair on the back of her neck sticking up as a distant roar was heard, reminding her that she didn't have time to waste talking. "Now look, do you know of anything that can stop her? Does she have any kind of weakness? I mean, anything at all?"

Shinji gave a quick nod. "We have to get her to calm down!"

A beat passed as Spirit stared at the boy, blinking several times in quick succession. "Calm…down?"

Giving another quick nod, Shinji elaborated, "She transforms when she gets mad, when there's adrenaline in her system! But if we can get her to calm down, she'll change back! Be herself again!"

Once again, Spirit was unable to speak, and she could have sworn that she could hear a cricket in the background. _Why didn't somebody tell me that _before_ I blasted her clear into a mountain?_ she wondered, gulping at the knowledge that an anything _but_ calm beast-woman was currently bearing down on her, eager to rend her limb from limb. Gasping incredulously, the winged hero demanded, "And just how're we supposed to _calm her down?"_

Jumping back a bit, Shinji looked this way and that, as if searching for divine inspiration. "Uh…" he got out, looking rather sheepish as he suggested, "Well…we could lead her to a bar…?"

Wincing inwardly as the proverbial other shoe dropped squarely on her head, feeling as half a ton of angry beast woman was wearing it, Spirit quickly glanced outside and made a snap decision. "Look, we'll have to think of something later! Right now, I _have _to get you outta here!"

"No, you have to get away!" Shinji protested as Spirit moved to pick him up. "I'll be alright! I know Misato won't hurt me!"

Frowning, Spirit returned, "I wish I could believe that, but after what she's done, I can't take that chance!" Not giving him the chance to protest, the Angelic wonder picked the boy up in both arms and moved to the large door Misato had left in the apartment. Grimacing at how heavy Shinji felt in her arms, she spread her wings somewhat and prepared to leap into the night air. But before she could do, the remaining helicopter suddenly appeared before them, shining its searchlight right at them.

"What the -?" Spirit got out as she staggered backwards from the wind coming off the rotors, averting her eyes to avoid being blinded by the helicopter's searchlight. Before she could say anything else, she cried out at a sudden pain in her shoulder. Gasping in surprise, she tumbled backwards with Shinji falling on top of her, looking stupidly at the dart that was now protruding from her bare arm.

"Spirit!" Shinji cried out in horror as she gasped in exhaustion, the tranquilizer stealing the remainder of her strength.

* * *

"Excellent work," Gendo oozed, watching the video feed that showed Spirit collapsing, too startled by the blinding light to use her AT-Field to defend herself from the unseen tranquilizer. "At last, we have her."

There was silence for a time amongst the bridge crew as they watched Spirit collapse, the plight of the winged girl drawing noises of sympathy from them. Makoto was the first to recover from it, when he looked at his display to see something that made him gulp loudly. "Commander, the Major just got past Lake Ashi! She's almost back to the city!"

"Order the helicopter to pull away from the building. Give the Major room, and ready the sleeping gas for deployment," Gendo ordered, looking at the display that showed Misato's progress. Eagerly awaiting the confrontation that was about to take place.

"Yes, sir," Makoto answered, looking very disgruntled as he relayed the orders.

"We'll wait until the Major is inside and distracted by Spirit before deploying the sleeping gas," Gendo continued, the deliciousness of his plan carving a slight smile across his face. "Given her present mental state, it is unlikely that she will be able to avoid its effects."

"What about Spirit, sir?" Maya wondered, fear and suspicion in her eyes. "If she can't fight back because of the tranquilizer, then…"

"That is an acceptable risk," Gendo answered, dismissing the indignant look the techie shot at him. From his perspective, the damage that the Major would wreak on the winged girl would be much more than acceptable, a suitable punishment for all the ways she had interfered with him. "Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good," he intoned as an afterthought, looking forward to the moment when the winged annoyance's life was snuffed out forever.

* * *

Spirit was afraid.

She had been afraid many times, both as Spirit and Hikari Horaki. She had been afraid the day she had learned her mother had died, she had been afraid of the responsibilities she had taken when it came to taking care of her sisters and her own father, and more recently, she had been afraid of the Angels she had helped battle and destroy.

But none of that compared to the deep, soul-chilling fear she now felt. When Spirit had fought the Angels, there had been something strangely impersonal about their aggressiveness. She got in their way, they tried to kill her. They were almost like natural disasters in that respect; they weren't any less dangerous, but it wasn't as if they were out to get her.

The monster that Misato had become was a very different story. She thought Spirit was an Angel, one of the monsters for whom it was her duty to destroy. And for her, it was obviously _very_ personal. And she not only wanted to kill her, she wanted to rip her limb from limb. To break and batter and smash her into a thousand tiny pieces, to make her suffer agony beyond imagining, exacting every possible torment she could before finally ending her existence. Making it even worse was the fact that Spirit had already been given a preview of that pain. She knew exactly how much it would hurt when Misato finally killed her, and the thought made her quake in terror.

"Spirit, please, you have to get up!" Shinji pleaded, wrapping his arms around her left shoulder, lending all the strength he had. "If you're still here when Misato gets back…"

_Don't remind me,_ was the only thing Spirit could think as she struggled to find her feet, her entire body feeling like it had been transformed into lead. Her limbs numbed, the winged girl gritted her teeth, mustering as much strength as she could as she stood. However, even with Shinji assisting her, she couldn't remain stable, and soon toppled to the ground once again, bringing him down with her. "It's…no good, Shinji. I can't…fly like this…"

As these depressed thoughts caused a wave of fury to knot Shinji's brows, the two teens were driven from their thoughts by the sound of a distant, outraged roar. "_Addaaammmm!"_ Misato's voice reverberated eerily, heralding Spirit's doom.

_Aw, crap,_ the winged wonder thought, her wings aching at Misato's voice. "Why does she keep…calling me that…?" Spirit wondered hazily. "Can't she tell that…I'm a girl?"

"Adam…that's the name of the 1st Angel," Shinji explained, his wary eyes fixed on the opening in the wall.

"The 1st Angel…" Spirit nodded as she struggled against the drug. "That thing you beat, right…"

To her dazed surprise, Shinji shook his head. "That was the 3rd Angel," he explained, causing Spirit's eyes to expand. "Adam…it's what caused Second Impact."

"What?" Spirit got out, surprising herself with the strength of her words. "But I thought…that was a meteorite…"

Once again, Shinji shook his head. "That was a lie. A cover story," he explained hurriedly. "That's why we have to stop the Angels. If we don't, they'll cause a Third Impact and destroy everything!"

Her mouth popping at this, Spirit was about to ask for more information when she was cut off by Misato roaring, "_Addaaammmm!" _Her voice was much closer now, and the two of them focused every iota of their attention on the opening to their small sanctuary. A few seconds later, a massive shape shot up past the hole in the wall, before falling back into sight. Grabbing the rim of the hole in one of her monstrous hands, Misato stopped her descent and swung inside their tiny sanctuary. Crouching down just enough to avoid banging her head on the ceiling, the creature snarled hatefully as her emerald eyes bored into Spirit's crimson ones.

_I guess…this is it, _Spirit thought, oddly relaxed as the green giantess stepped forward, eager to finish what she had started. _Never thought I'd go out this way…_

"Misato, _stop!_" Shinji cried out, leaping from Spirit's side to come to stand before Misato, his arms stretched out to his sides. "Please, don't do this! Spirit is our _friend,_ remember?"

Smiling somewhat sadly, Spirit found herself touched and impressed by Shinji's bravery, despite the futility of his actions. However, what really amazed her was that Misato actually stopped in place, looking at the boy in surprise. _What the…?_ she thought disbelievingly, stunned by the irony that an eight-foot-tall monster was being balked by a five-foot-something _boy_ that she could snap like a twig.

"Adam…" Misato growled, as if arguing her point. Her entire body twitching with unspent aggression.

"No, this is _Spirit,_ not _Adam!_ Please, try to remember!" Shinji pleaded, unmoving as Misato looked from him to Spirit and back again. "She's the one who destroyed the 4th Angel, remember? And she's helped us out other times as well! She's our _friend!_"

The creature growled dangerously as she looked at Spirit. "Fr…friend…?"

While Shinji was pleading for her life, Spirit watched in amazement at the conflict she saw spread across Misato's face. _He's getting through to her!_ she mentally gaped, at which point, an idea occurred to her. Misato was reacting to what she thought was an enemy, trying to destroy something she perceived as an Angel. _Okay, so if she has powers like mine, she probably senses that I'm part Angel, the same way I can sense it from her,_ Spirit puzzled out, fighting the drug that clouded her mind. _So maybe…if I'm not an Angel…_

Afraid, but seeing no other way out of this mess, Spirit thought, _I don't have wings._ This thought became reality as her wings disappeared, her hair and eyes becoming their normal brown color. She grimaced as the drug hit her now fully human system harder, making it even more of a struggle to stay awake.

However, the affect her change had on Misato was obvious. The beast woman's eyes shot wide open, and she looked around in confusion, searching for the source of the terrible power that she associated with Adam. Where was the Angel? Where was her enemy? Searching the empty apartment, Misato could only see Shinji…and the normal girl that lay on the floor, looking frail and helpless.

Turning to look over his shoulder, Shinji saw the now-human girl lying where Spirit had once been, and gave a quick smile. "See, Misato?" Shinji asked as he looked at her once again. "Spirit's not an Angel! She's a friend! She's _our_ friend!"

"Friend…? Spirit…?" Misato growled, her voice rife with confusion…even as the helicopter returned.

* * *

"Commander, the red/blue pattern…it's disappeared," Maya intoned, her voice grave as she looked up at Gendo.

"Perfect," Gendo intoned as the image of Spirit's broken, dead body appeared in his mind. "Have the helicopter move in. It's time for the sleeping gas."

* * *

Within seconds, Gendo's order was relayed to the helicopter crew, who slowly, carefully brought their craft in closer. "Be ready to get clear as soon as the gas is in," the senior Section 2 agent, a man by the name of Reiji Kazeoni ordered as the helicopter aligned with the hole, to make sure the canister of sleeping gas didn't simply bounce off of something and fly back out of the hole. "I don't want that thing to be getting any ideas."

"Understood," the pilot replied, the fate of the other two helicopters clear in his memory.

"Do you have the shot?" Kazeoni asked of the gunner, crouched and at the ready.

"Almost," the gunner answered. "I just need to be a little lower, and we're good."

"Right," Kazeoni noted, wanting to make sure that something like what happened to Captain Chiron happened to him as well. Then, he looked at the other gunner, the one he hoped would not be needed. "Remember, you are not to fire unless that green thing tries to escape. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" the other man answered, cradling the launcher for the rocket propelled grenade. They both knew that it wouldn't even scrape the monster's skin, but they were hopeful that it would at least knock it back on its ass long enough for the gas to do its dirty work.

Kazeoni wasn't too hopeful, but was nonetheless resolved to do his job. Looking out the open door of the helicopter, he looked at the scene before him. The creature was standing with its back to them, blocking much of what was in there. He thought he could see the 3rd Child, and managed a smile when he saw the girl lying prone on the floor. _So much for the competition,_ he thought sadistically, painfully aware of the humiliation Spirit had caused Section 2. "Ready?"

The gunner with the gas nodded. "I have the shot."

"Then take it," Kazeoni ordered. With a loud hiss, the gas canister was launched into the apartment, flying past the three occupants and impacting against the wall.

* * *

Hikari watched helplessly as gas suddenly billowed up from the small container that had been shot into the apartment. With a wariness that had been born of battle, she immediately recovered from the shock and inhaled deeply. Looking at the other two, she watched as Misato's face once again filled with anger, but at the same time, the beast-woman was also sucking in a deep breath in response to the gas. _Guess there's more of Misato still in there than I thought,_ the girl noted, watching as Shinji rolled up his shirt, covering his face as he also took a deep breath and held it.

Looking at Shinji in concern, the creature snarled deep in her throat before glaring hatefully at the gas canister. Her features creasing with anger, Misato stepped past the boy and the girl and picked up the tiny metal cylinder. Frowning at the tiny little thing, she turned it this way and that before making her way past the children. Ignoring the plumes of gas it continued to spew out, the creature sneered at the helicopter hovering close by, at the people that stared at her in awe and fear, and threw the canister back at them.

"Arrgh!" one of them cried as the canister smashed into him. While Hikari was crying in relief at this, the first agent fell against two of his fellows, one of which was holding a rocket launcher of some kind.

_Uh-oh!_ Hikari thought, her eyes going wide as a rocket flew into the apartment. _I have wings!_

Hikari transformed back into Spirit just before the rocket exploded, sending forth a wave of searing fire and smoke. With strength born of pure desperation, she got to her feet, interposing herself between Shinji and raising her AT-Field. Despite the limited power she was able to generate, it was enough to shield them both from the ensuring shrapnel. Unfortunately, it couldn't protect them from being sent flying by the force of the blast itself.

* * *

Momentarily blinded and deafened by the exploding grenade, the creature instinctively shielded her eyes even as she felt something slam into her. The force of the blast didn't hurt, but it knocked her off-balance, flinging her and the two children out of the apartment. Tumbling through the air, the creature heard a familiar voice crying out in terror. Stricken with fear, she looked and saw Shinji falling a short distance away from her, his arms flailing wildly as he fell.

Overwhelmed with horror, the creature realized that Shinji couldn't possibly survive the fall, and he was too far away for her to reach. But even as terror and rage mixed uncontrollably within her, another figure appeared in her view. The strange, winged girl with Adam's power shot down to Shinji and wrapped her arms about his chest. Certain that the monster had come to take him away, the creature was dumbstruck when she spread her wings, slowing their fall. That was all the creature could see as she continued to tumble, finally crashing to the ground.

Barely feeling the impact, the creature instantly recovered, pushing herself back up and watching as Shinji and the girl called Spirit also came down. As they tumbled towards the ground, the winged girl grunted in effort, angling herself so that she landed on her back, using her own body to cushion Shinji's fall. Protecting him from harm.

"Uh…" Shinji groaned as he rose up from the prone girl. Pausing to clear his head, he turned and knelt beside her. "Spirit? Spirit, are you okay?" When the girl responded only with a weary groan of pain, Shinji placed his hand to her cheek, visibly growing more concern. "Spirit?"

As the creature watched Shinji plead to the girl, trying to rouse her, she focused on her, the being with Adam's power. A person that had put Shinji's safety ahead of her own. Had saved him from the fire and smoke, had saved him from the fall. These things chased away much of her anger, allowing some of Misato's memories came to the fore. Memories of Spirit helping them battle the Angels, protecting the Children, protecting _Shinji…_

As if a switch had been flipped, all the creature's animosity towards the girl vanished. Shinji had spoken truly; the girl was not Adam, not the destroyer, not an Angel. Angels were monsters that never would have protected Shinji. Angels were things that made people hurt and die, monsters that took everything they loved away from them. The girl was Spirit. Spirit was a friend who fought the Angels. A friend…that she very nearly killed that day.

Sucking in a horrified gasp at this realization, the creature felt a wave of pure guilt slam into her like an N2. She had attacked a _child_, a _friend_. She had beaten and brutalized her and delighted in every moment of it. Staggering away from Shinji and Spirit, the creature struggled with this reality, trying to make sense of it. Why had she done this? Why had she done something so horrible to someone who hadn't deserved it?

_Tricked…_ came a single word from Misato's mind, a word that resonated in the creature, and caused her to turn and looked towards the metal thing that still flew overhead, gas still pouring out of it. As the creature studied it, she remembered the puny men inside firing another thing of fire and smoke at Spirit, making her use Adam's power. Remembered how it had fled as soon as the two of them began fighting, only returning when she was weak and the creature distracted. How they had tried to hurt Shinji and Spirit, both with gas and more fire and smoke.

_Tricked us…used us…_ the part of her that was Misato whispered, and suddenly, the creature understood. And with understanding came an explosive new wave of rage. The puny little men had tricked the creature in attacking Spirit. The creature's primitive mind had little context for treachery, but Misato's memories did. Misato understood such betrayal, and the depths to which it ran. And these things caused her fury to burn even greater.

Out of her mind with rage, the creature leapt up at the helicopter, intent on inflicting upon it and the puny men the pain they had used her to inflict on Spirit.

* * *

"_No!"_ Gendo cried out as Misato leapt up onto the canopy of the helicopter. Watching in awe, the Commander of NERV stood as she punched through the canopy, reaching for the pilot. Desperate to save his own skin, the pilot fled her outstretched hand. With no one controlling it, the helicopter began to spin out of control, falling forward because of the creature's immense weight.

_I underestimated the influence the boy had on her!_ Gendo realized, having never imagined that Misato would abandon her hatred of the Angels, even momentarily, if one saved Shinji's life. The helicopter crew was now paying for this oversight as they came down to the ground. Misato landed first, concrete crushing beneath her feet as she used her newfound leverage to lift the helicopter up above her head. Snarling hatefully, she started shaking the Section 2 agents out of it.

"Order the rest of Section 2 to move in! I want all the remaining helicopters covering the area. Don't let them escape," Gendo commanded as Misato started swinging the helicopter as baseball bat, making clear her intent to use its former crew as the balls. "I don't care what it takes! I want that monster brought down _now!_"

* * *

"Misato!" Shinji cried out as he cradled Spirit, who lay unconscious in his arms. She had succumbed to exhaustion and the tranquilizer dart the moment she had landed. And while she showed no signs of injury, her pulse was weak and her breathing shallow. Completely helpless to defend herself if a Section 2 agent decided to show up and put a bullet in her head. "Misato, _please!"_

His voice rising up over the panicked screams of the helicopter crew, Shinji watched as the Amazonian savage paused in her rampaging. Looking away from the Section 2 agent she had been terrorizing, she studied the two teens before tossing away her impromptu weapon. "Look, I think Sprit's hurt," Shinji explained as Misato came over to them. "We have to get her out of here! Get her someplace safe!"

Though Misato said nothing, her face filled with concern as she nodded her understanding. Crouching down besides them, she carefully lifted Spirit up off the ground and braced her over her shoulder. Satisfied that the winged girl was secure, Misato gingerly wrapped her free arm around Shinji, who allowed himself to be lifted up and pressed against her body. Doing his best not to look at the more forbidden parts of her anatomy, he felt her tense in preparation to leap, only to pause and frown. "Huh? What is it?"

Her only answer was a low growl, but Shinji was already getting a feel for her mannerisms. Something was clearly wrong. Taking a cue from her hesitation, he looked about the area, trying to spot whatever had her concerned. Then he heard a low noise, too soft for him to identify at first. But as it grew louder, his heart sank with realization. "Oh, no…" he groaned as he watched a swarm of black cars screeching into view. "No, no, _no!"_

Misato snarled hatefully, her deep, bestial voice expressing her loathing in a way Shinji only wished he could. Watching despairingly as Section 2 agents appeared from their vehicles, all bearing various firearms as they closed in on them. Turning about, he saw even more agents taking up position between them and the lake. _They're…they're boxing us in!_ Shinji realized even as more helicopters were heard. Craning his head back, he watched as soared above them, training their searchlights on the unlikely trio.

Swinging his gaze this way and that, aghast at the small army they had to contend with, Shinji then glanced over at Spirit. Misato's bestial self had already proven impervious to both Section 2's and Spirit's best efforts, but the prone superwoman was nowhere near as indestructible. And if Section 2 had any snipers nearby, or just decided to start shooting…

Wincing as his mind conjured up images of such outcomes, Shinji pleaded, "Misato, _please_, we have to protect Spirit!"

Misato nodded grimly as she watched Section 2 drawing steadily closer. As carefully as she could, the jade giantess shifted Shinji over to her left arm, using it to brace both him and Spirit against herself. Unsure of what she what had in mind, Shinji could only watch as she snarled in warning. NERV's secret police continued to come closer. Her eyes shining with hatred, Misato reared back, raising her right fist into the air, roaring her fury before she thrust it into the ground with all her might.

A force exceeding that of an N2 was sent explosively into the ground, shattering the earth beneath them. Huge fissures formed and massive chunks of concrete and earth erupted from the ground, sending the agents scattering in a desperate attempt to avoid the destruction. Gasping in horrified awe, Shinji watched as the shockwaves of destruction rippled throughout all of Tokyo-3. Before his very eyes, cars were upended, windows shattered, and buildings visibly lost power as the entire fortress city felt the power of the creature's raw, unleashed rage.

* * *

"We're registering earthquake conditions throughout all of Tokyo-3!" Makoto reported, sweat falling from his face as he worked his controls.

"Shockwaves are extending down into the Geofront! No damage reported!" Maya added, turning a nasty shade of white.

"This is _insane!_ How can anything _human_ be that_ strong?"_ Shigeru demanded, looking like he was seriously considering different employment options.

"That's just it. I don't think she _is_ human anymore," Ritsuko got out, looking at the devastation that her best friend had just wreaked. Numbed by the sight off it, the doctor turned a fearful eye towards Gendo. "Commander, I don't see how this is going to help! Section 2 doesn't have anywhere near enough firepower to stop her!"

"That's not their job anymore. With the failure of the gas and the tranquilizers, our only remaining option is to bring her down. Hard," Gendo stated, his brows furrowed as he studied his opponent. Then, turning to Asuka, he asked, "Proceed to the Eva Cages, 2nd Child."

"The Eva Cages?" Asuka repeated blankly. Then her eyes widened in surprise as she asked, "You mean – you're sending me out?"

"That is correct," Gendo confirmed before turning to look at the bridge crew. "Begin preparations to mobilize Evangelion Unit 02."

Her eyes widening in horror, Ritsuko watched as Asuka grinned ferally. "Alright!"

"Don't forget, 2nd Child, your objective is to subdue Katsuragi and bring her back to NERV. Alive if at all possible," Gendo reminded her tersely.

"Yes, sir!" Asuka returned, snapping her heels together. "And, uh…what about Spirit, sir?" Pausing for a moment, not even bothering to hide the eagerness in her voice, the German asked, "What do you want me to do about her?"

"She of no importance to us," Gendo retorted gruffly. "Feel free to dispose of her in any way you see fit."

Her stomach twisting at the slasher smile that spread across Asuka's face, Ritsuko held up her hands as she approached the Commander. "Sir, no, _no!_ This is a _mistake!_" When Gendo answered by eyeing her like she was a bug, the doctor elaborated, "Look, the more you provoke Misato, the worse this is going to get! If we just give her enough room to calm down -!"

"Then she'll escape, and take the boy and Spirit with her," Gendo countered effortlessly. Then, indicating the display of the creature holding the two children, he continued. "We have to subdue her before Spirit recovers from the tranquilizer. If that happens, the three of them will be able to escape, and I cannot allow that to happen. I can't let them get outside of Tokyo-3."

"Yeah! What are you thinking?" Asuka demanded haughtily. "Besides, I can handle this! It's not like I'm dealing with an Angel here!"

"I know. _That's _part of the problem!" Ritsuko retorted. "The Evas aren't designed to fight against anything the size of a human! It'd be like trying to swat a fly with a cannon!" Then she gestured at the images of destruction that were currently being relayed to them by the newly arrived Section 2 helicopters. "And the thing we're dealing with is a lot more powerful than a fly."

"Look, I hate to break it to you two, but I think she's right," Kaji broke in. The two of them turned to stare at the spy, as if they had forgotten that he was still there. "Besides, in case you haven't noticed, Katsuragi managed to tear right through Spirit's AT-Field. If she does the same with Unit 02…"

"Kaji!" Asuka cried out in seeming betrayal.

"Hey, I'm just saying that I don't think this will work," Kaji replied easily. "Besides, if Katsuragi trashes Unit 02, where's that going to leave us when the next Angel rolls around?"

As Asuka bristled at the implication that she would lose to the emerald Amazon, Gendo frowning as if he had just bitten into something that had spoiled a long time ago. "And what would you propose, Dr. Akagi?"

Heaving a sigh, Ritsuko thought of the woman she had known in college. "Let me talk to her," she suggested in an even tone. "Look, she recognized Shinji, despite the mutation. She recognized Spirit as well! She'll remember me, too, sir! I can get through to her, talk her down! All I need is for Section 2 to stay away from her long enough for me to get to her!"

For several seconds, Gendo considered this, seeming to weigh the innumerable variables of the situation. "Very well, then," he finally stated, sending relief shooting through the doctor. "You have one chance." Outrage twisting her features, Asuka was about to protest when the Commander added, "In the meantime, we'll continue to make Unit 02 ready for launch. If I don't see any progress, or if it seems that she may try to escape…"

His meaning sinking in like a ton of bricks, Ritsuko nodded, "Very well, sir."

Asuka sniffed loudly as Ritsuko broke for the door. "As if you have a chance of…hey! Kaji! Where are you going?"

"I'm heading up with Ritsuko," Kaji replied in a lackadaisical fashion. The two women turned and looked in astonishment at the unshaven man, who answered, "Hey, if we can get Katsuragi to cool down without getting you involved in this mess, the better I'll feel." With Asuka somewhat mollified by this statement, Kaji grinned at the doctor. "And besides," he commented beneath his breath, "there's no way that Katsuragi could ever forget about me!"

_I know. That's what I'm afraid of,_ Ritsuko thought sourly as the two of them began their trek up to the surface.

* * *

The world was a strange place at times.

This was something Shinji had learned a long time ago, when his mother had died and his father abandoned him. Various events throughout his life had merely reinforced this knowledge, from being brought to NERV as the last chance humanity had against the 3rd Angel, to feeling so comfortable in something that stank of blood. But the strangeness of this moment was in a league all to itself.

Earlier that day, he had watched Misato transform into a savage, green-skinned beast that had torn its way through anything that had gotten in its way. He had watched her rip Spirit's wings off and bludgeon the girl onto the brink of death. And now, he and Spirit were both clutched in the green beast's arms as she stood at bay against the forces of NERV, staring down all of Section 2, filling the agents with such fear that they dared not approach. Danger surrounded them at every point, and no matter how this standoff ended, nothing would ever be the same for any of them.

And yet, Shinji had never felt so safe in his entire life.

Ever since he had moved into Misato's apartment, he slowly, gradually opened up to the purple-haired woman who had given Shinji a place in her life. But despite this, there had always been a niggling fear eating away at the back of his mind that she would abandon him or hurt him if it proved convenient or necessary. He knew it could happen; it had happened with his father, and he had no doubt that it could happen again.

But the Misato that now held him, the creature that had been stripped of all subtleties or capacity for deceit, had done everything she could to protect him. Had battled the punks, Section 2, even Spirit, all for the sake of keeping him safe, and even now was fighting for the sake of himself and Spirit. It was like all the complexities of the civilized mind had been boiled away, leaving only the very core of Misato's being, a person who loved to drink, showed some playfulness…and would fight for Shinji's sake. Would fight, even die, all in order to keep him safe.

Looking at Spirit, who was struggling to reawaken, Shinji wrapped his arms tightly about Misato's neck, and buried his face into her shoulder, savoring the sensation of her warm, soft skin against his own. _This really is Misato,_ Shinji thought, even as the creature tightened her grip on him and Spirit, just enough to give even further reassurance to them. _This is what Misato is really like, deep inside. This is…_

Feeling the warmth at this realization, the incontrovertible proof that Misato truly cared for him, not just as a pilot, but as a person, Shinji sighed, and allowed himself to forget about the horror surrounding him, if only for the moment.

He wasn't even aware of the footfalls approaching him and the others.

* * *

_I'm definitely getting older,_ Ritsuko thought ruefully after her latest mad dash.

The elevators that had sent Ritsuko up through the Geofront and to the surface seemed to be perversely slow that day, as if afraid to get anywhere near where Misato now was. And despite the fact that she had taken the path that would open out as close toLakeAshias was possible, it had ultimately taken some running in order to get to where she was going. Staring hatefully at the fancy shoes she was wearing and taking a moment to consider investing in a decent pair of running shoes, Ritsuko dodged the various cars and debris that now littered the street, courtesy of Misato's furious blow. Kaji kept up effortlessly, seeming to enjoy staying just behind the doctor.

After what seemed like an eternity, they encountered the wall of Section 2 agents surrounding the danger area. When they tried to get through, one of the black-suited idiots NERV kept on for doing their dirty work turned about to face them, only to get a face full of Ritsuko's ID card. In this manner, the doctor blazed a trail through the human wall, Kaji using his own ID in order to follow behind her. Then, finally, the two of them were looking at the creature Misato had become with their own eyes. Standing in the center of the makeshift battlefield, keeping her enemies at bay with her glare and her fury.

_My God, what have I done?_ Ritsuko thought, horrified at the sight of her closest friend, transformed into destruction personified. It was one thing to look at blood samples, simulations, even recordings from the field. None of these had prepared Ritsuko for the sight of Misato, keeping the world away from the two children, trapped in a world of hatred and power.

For an instant, the doctor allowed herself to feel a wave of guilt and horror at her role in Misato's condition, at the sabotage she had done at Gendo's behest, and then shoved it away. _There was nothing I could have done to stop this,_ Ritsuko told herself once more_. Gendo would have just had someone else do it if I hadn't. _

Rationalizing away her feelings as she always somehow did, Ritsuko gathered her courage and carefully moved towards the creature, watching every step she took as the ground shifted ominously beneath her. Kaji moved in much the same way, carefully following the same general path taken by the doctor. As the two of them approached, the beast-woman that Misato had become fixed her furious emerald eyes on the doctor, and Ritsuko couldn't help but tremble somewhat. However, she mustered all the courage she could find, and continued forward.

_At least she isn't attacking,_ Ritsuko thought, holding up her hands to show that they were empty. Doing her best to look as small and harmless as she could. "Hello, Misato," she spoke lowly, to avoid startling her into action.

The creature didn't move. Instead, she continued to watch as Shinji straightened up in her grasp. "Akagi-san! Kaji!"

"It's alright, Shinji. Everything's going to be okay now," Ritsuko spoke soothingly, hoping that she wasn't lying for once. Though she came closer to losing her cool when Misato growled her warning.

"No, no, its okay, Misato! Really!" Shinji protested, even as the creature sneered menacingly. "It's Akagi-san and Kaji! Remember?" When Misato frowned her confusion, the boy smiled nervously. "Its okay, Misato! They aren't going to hurt us. Trust me."

_Please, trust him!_ Ritsuko thought nervously as she drew closer, taking care not to get within range of the she-beast's bone-crushing hands. Aloud, she asked, "Do you remember me?" When Misato returned her gaze, saying or doing nothing to indicate any recognition, Ritsuko did her best to forge ahead despite it. "Misato, it's okay. It's me, Ritsuko. Remember?"

"That's right, it's Akagi-san," Shinji reassured her, and much to the faux-blonde's relief, some of the anger ebbed away from Misato's features.

_Well, at least she isn't becoming violent or trying to run away,_ Ritsuko thought, painfully aware of the limitations Gendo had placed on her. As she thought these things, the girl she knew only as Spirit began to stir.

"H-huh?" Spirit got out as she regained consciousness, her wings fluttering somewhat as she looked wildly about. "What the -?"

"It's alright. Everything's fine," Ritsuko intoned, desperate not to let the situation degenerate any further. Not to give Gendo any cause to launch Unit 02. "My name is Dr. Ritsuko Akagi of NERV. I'm here to help you."

The wary look Spirit gave her made it abundantly clear what she thought of that statement. Fortunately, Shinji took Ritsuko's statement at face value. "It's okay, Spirit!" he reassured her. When the winged girl frowned in response, he frowned somewhat and asked, "Uh, how are you feeling? Can you stand up?" Spirit made a thoughtful sound in her throat, and visibly seemed to take stock of the situation before nodding. Smiling at this, the 3rd Child turned to the green beast holding them. "Misato, it's okay. You can put us down now." The creature's growled quietly in her throat and frowned, as if she were asking if Shinji was sure about that. "Don't worry, Misato! We'll be fine now. Please, trust me."

The hesitation was clear on Misato's face, but slowly, carefully, she complied, and allowed both Shinji and Spirit to get back down to the ground. The winged girl was still somewhat shaky, but regained her feet easily enough. Then, getting some distance from both them and Ritsuko, she spread her wings and was soon hovering above the ground. "Are you two going to be okay?"

Shinji nodded gratefully. "We'll be okay now, Spirit. Just go take care of yourself."

Frowning somewhat, Spirit looked at Ritsuko and Kaji. "Just so you know…this isn't over." And with that, the winged girl flew out across Lake Ashi, moving faster than any helicopter could hope to.

Shaking her head, Ritsuko watched the girl that represented one of her biggest mistakes disappear from sight. _Why can't my successes be as spectacular as that one failure?_ she wondered before returning her attention to the problem at hand; getting Misato cooled down enough to change back to herself before Unit 02 showed up and sent the situation into an irrevocable death spiral.

While Ritsuko was slowly, carefully considering the best way to handle the situation, Kaji smiled boyishly and started past her. "Well, now that _that's_ taken care of…" he declared smoothly as he approached the emerald destroyer. "Hey, there, Katsuragi. Remember me?"

"Kaji, wait!" Ritsuko got out, sensing disaster in the making.

"Relax! Everything's going to be fine. You said so yourself, didn't you?" Kaji asked absently. "So, Shinji, you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Um…I guess," Shinji replied uncertainly, watching as Misato studied Kaji's face, shifting her head one way, then the next. "Misato, this is Kaji. Remember him?"

Misato frowned somewhat, narrowing her eyes as the unshaven man cautiously approached her. "Kaji…" she rumbled uncertainly.

"That's right," Kaji replied, smiling easily as he closed the gap, shaking his head as he studied Misato. "Man, oh, man. And to think that I used to say that green wasn't your color. Shows what I know." Casually placing his hand on the creature's hip, he added, "And I used to think that that body of yours couldn't get any more perfect. I – huh?"

Wincing as Kaji cut himself off, Ritsuko watched as the green beast shuddered in revulsion. Her eyes and expression easily recognizable as Misato's, the creature snarled hatefully, grabbing Kaji up by his shirt and hauling him up to look her in the face. The unshaven man didn't have time to so much as scream before the Amazonian savage roared hatefully, causing his face to ripple before the force of her fury.

_"Waaauugghh!"_ Kaji cried out in dismay as his entire body fluttered like a windsock in a tornado. As soon as she had expended her roar, the jade giantess sucked in a fresh lungful of air before rearing back. Crying out incomprehensibly, Kaji could do nothing as Misato sent him flying into the air. Tumbling out of control, the unshaven man tumbled out of control before landing in the lake with a massive splash.

Sweat-dropping as Misato roared her fury, seeming to be daring Kaji to come back and try something like that again, Ritsuko could only watched as Shinji did his best to affect damage control. _Yup, she remembers him, alright!_ _Talk about throwing fuel on a fire!_

Gulping as she looked around, half-expecting Unit 02 to appear to make things even worse, Ritsuko returned her attention to Misato…and actually managed to smile. "You know, there have been lots of times when I was tempted to do something like that myself."

"Misato, please, stop! You have to calm down!" Shinji pleaded, taking his guardian's hand in his own. When she looked down at the boy, his face twisted with sadness. "Please, Misato…_please…_you have to calm down…"

Misato frowned somewhat, and then looked around, looked at the Section 2 agents still surrounding them, staying at a relatively safe distance. She looked up at the helicopters that still hovered overhead. Growling lowly, she knelt down beside Shinji and wrapped her arms around him. Drawing him in close as she grimaced at NERV's secret police, showing absolutely no intention of calming down.

Disappointed but not surprised, Ritsuko frowned and brought out her cell phone. Calling up the bridge, she waited as patiently as she was put through to Gendo. "Commander, I think I'm making some progress with Misato, but I need some more room to work here." Pausing just long enough to steady her voice, the doctor then said, "I need Section 2 to leave the area."

"Impossible," Gendo sternly responded. "Section 2 is the only guarantee we have that she will stay where she is."

"Commander, _please_, listen to me!" Ritsuko pleaded, glancing over at where the she-beast huddled, cradling Shinji and shielding him with her own body. "The whole reason Misato is doing all of this because she's trying to _protect_ Shinji! She thinks that Section 2 is putting him in danger! Therefore, the only way to get her to calm down is to pull them out of the area! If she thinks Shinji is safe, we'll be able to get her to relax!" Practically hearing Gendo frowning on the other end of the line, Ritsuko did her best to hold her own violent impulses in check. "Please, sir, she isn't going anywhere! She's just trying to keep Shinji safe! Once he's safe, she'll transform back!"

There was a deep, ugly pause before Gendo answered. "You better be right about this," was all he said before the connection broke, leaving Ritsuko to let out a deep breath of relief. The doctor replaced her cell phone and waited, watching and hoping. A few minutes passed, but finally the helicopters flew away. Misato looked up at this, snorting suspiciously as the sound of their rotors faded, and continued to look about suspiciously as the Section 2 agents on the ground followed their example.

"See, Misato?" Ritsuko told her even as she straightened up a bit and looked about, not quite trusting the convenient disappearance of her enemies. "Everything is alright now. Nobody is going to hurt Shinji."

"That's right, Misato. See? Everything's okay now!" Shinji piped up, looking at the purple-haired behemoth with reassuring eyes. "Nobody's going to hurt me anymore. You can relax now."

As Misato looked deeply into Shinji's eyes, the anger she still felt slowly ebbed away from her face, leaving only adoration for the boy she was holding. "Shinji…" she growled lowly, once again drawing him closer, even smiling as she cuddled the boy. A smile that deepened when Shinji wrapped his arms about her neck, even managing to smile in return.

Ritsuko had no idea how much time passed as she stood there, watching almost enviously as the two of them shared their embrace. However, she was startled when the lines of Misato's body began to waver, her eyes becoming disoriented. "What the…?"

"It's okay, Akagi-san." Shinji reassured her gently. "This is what happened last time." He then returned his to Misato, who was looking increasingly drained and confused. "She's changing back…"

Watching awestruck, Ritsuko looked on as the creature born of the power of both Adam and Jet Alone slowly shrank, steam rising from her body as her skin paled, her strength faded. Before long, the Misato she knew was kneeling before Shinji, shuddering somewhat as she looked from the boy to her surroundings. "Welcome back, Misato," the faux-blonde smiled, even as she watched the last of the green fade from her friend's eyes.

"Ritsuko?" Misato gasped out, trembling as she looked around, saw the destruction she had caused not that long ago, once again found herself naked. She looked at Shinji's concerned face, and then back to her friend. "What the…?" she moaned in desperate fear. "Ritsuko, what…what's happening to me…?"

Giving Misato a sad smile, Ritsuko took off her lab coat and draped it about her shoulders. "That's a long story, Misato," she said in all honesty. "Let's get back to NERV, and…I'll tell you everything."

* * *

_Well, that accomplished a whole lot of nothing!_ Hikari thought unhappily as she shed her tattered costume. _Not only do I still not know what's really going on, but I wasn't able to help Shinji and Misato, _and _I totaled this costume in the process!_

Wanting nothing more than to go back to bed and at least pretend that she could still sleep eight hours a day, give her body a chance to recover from everything it had been subjected to, Hikari was just about to take off the rest of her costume when the door to her room slid open. Blanching, she found herself confronted by her older sister Kodama. As the eldest of the Horaki sisters studied her disheveled sibling, looked at the ruined garment at her feet, her face settled into a disapproving frown. "Hikari, what have you been _doing?_"

Groaning in weary dismay, Hikari managed to make it to her bed, where she fell back onto her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. _Maybe I should have let Misato just kill me and get it over with!_

* * *

Author's Notes: Okay, now we're moving onto the story proper, where things get really interesting! Please, read and review! And please, spare a moment to check out some of my other stories.

I hope you like her Halo Wave attack, and I apologize for the beating she takes in this story. But I watched "Ultimate Avengers: The Movie" before writing this, and at the end, it had Captain America, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Giant Man, Wasp, Iron Man, and Thor, all battling the Hulk. The Hulk was winning before they managed to sedate him with Betty's help. In short, Hulks are tough, and I think that, all things considered, Spirit did pretty good in holding her own.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and will be back for more! Until then, as Stan the Man Lee would say, Excelsior!

Omake 1

While Ritsuko was slowly, carefully considering the best way to handle the situation, Kaji smiled boyishly and started past her. "Well, now that _that's_ taken care of…" he declared smoothly as he approached the emerald destroyer. "Hey, there, Katsuragi. Remember me?"

"Kaji, wait!" Ritsuko got out, sensing disaster in the making.

"Relax! Everything's going to be fine. You said so yourself, didn't you?" Kaji asked absently. "So, Shinji, you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Um…I guess," Shinji replied uncertainly, watching as Misato studied Kaji's face, shifting her head one way, then the next. "Misato, this is Kaji. Remember him?"

Misato frowned somewhat, narrowing her eyes as the unshaven man cautiously approached her. "Kaji…" she rumbled uncertainly.

"That's right," Kaji replied, smiling easily as he closed the gap, shaking his head as he studied Misato. "Man, oh, man. And to think that I used to say that green wasn't your color. Shows what I know." Casually placing his hand on the creature's hip, he added, "And I used to think that that body of yours couldn't get any more perfect. I – huh?"

Wincing as Kaji cut himself off, Ritsuko watched as the green beast shuddered in revulsion. Her eyes and expression easily recognizable as Misato's, the creature snarled hatefully, grabbing Kaji up by his shirt and hauling him up to look her in the face. The unshaven man didn't have time to so much as scream before the Amazonian savage roared hatefully, causing his face to ripple before the force of her fury.

_"Waaauugghh!"_ Kaji cried out in dismay as his entire body fluttered like a windsock in a tornado. As soon as she had expended her roar, the jade giantess sucked in a fresh lungful of air before rearing back. Crying out incomprehensibly, Kaji could do nothing as Misato sent him flying into the air. Tumbling out of control, the unshaven man tumbled out of control before landing in the lake with a massive splash.

Sweat-dropping as Misato roared her fury, seeming to be daring Kaji to come back and try something like that again, Ritsuko could only watched as Shinji did his best to affect damage control. _Yup, she remembers him, alright!_ _Talk about throwing fuel on a fire!_

Gulping loudly as she tried to think of a way to salvage the situation, a loud, mechanical rushing was heard. Her eyes bulging from their sockets, Ritsuko turned about to see one of the Eva launch gates open up. A moment later, there was a rushing of air as Unit 02 appeared.

_"No!_ Asuka, _what are you doing?"_ Ritsuko shrilled as the German's Evangelion tore its way free of the gantry and stomped its way towards them.

"Outta my way, Akagi!" Asuka snarled as Unit 02 crouched down and raised its fist. "I don't care if her head is screwed up or not, _nobody _messes with _my _Kaji and gets away with it!"

"Wait! No, Asuka, don't!" Shinji pleaded, waving his arms desperately, but to no avail. With a merciless battle cry, the volatile redhead drove her Eva's fist down squarely upon Misato's head, crushing her down into the street.

"Ha! Take _that,_ you lime-green whore!" Asuka crowed, grinding the Eva's fist down upon her. "Serves you right for – huh?"

Ritsuko had no idea of what was happening at first. All she could hear was a grinding noise coming from beneath Unit 02's fist. Then a savage, hateful roar filled the air, and the Eva's arm was forced up so fast that the armor crumpled in some places. As Asuka cried out in surprise and pain, a large, green shape flew forth from the hole. Latching onto Unit 02's right arm, Misato braced herself against the Eva's side, and with a tremendous roar, ripped the bio-mech's arm off.

_"Aaaarrrggh!"_ Asuka shrieked in pain, and continued to do so as Misato leapt up again and smashed Unit 02 over the head with its own arm.

"Aw, _damn…_" Ritsuko moaned, watching as Unit 02 was pulverized by the berserk she-beast. "There is no way in _hell_ I'm taking the blame for _this _one!"

Omake 2

"Um, excuse me?" Kaji asked no one particular as he treaded water, watching the events back on shore. "Hello? Aren't we…perhaps…forgetting something?" With considerable dismay, he unshaven man watched as Section 2 departed. He then saw an ambulance come and pick up Shinji, Misato, and Ritsuko, before driving off.

"Okay, okay, fun's fun, but seriously, I can use some assistance here!" Kaji proclaimed, waiting for a rescue helicopter to come along and pluck him from his humiliating predicament. He would even take one _without_ a crew of scantily clad lovelies. "Aw, c'mon, you people aren't just going to leave me out here…are you?"

Just as Kaji was becoming worried that everyone _had_ forgotten him in their hurry to get Misato back to NERV before she got mad again, his eyes went wide at the sight of a silvery fin cutting through the water. Gulping, he watched as the fin slowly glided towards him, which was all the incentive he needed to start swimming as quickly as he could.

"Help!" he shrieked as he swam madly towards shore, completely unaware that, just below the surface, a silver surfboard with a fin extending from the top was trailing him, rather than a shark.

* * *

Back at her tiny apartment, Rei Ayanami was relaxing, looking out the window with an odd smile on her face. "The perv deserves it," she stated firmly, deciding that maybe she would come along later and rescue him. If she felt like it.


	8. The Day After

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 8: The Day After

As Gendo sat at his desk, studying the people standing before him, he was painfully aware of the all-too human exhaustion gnawing at him. He kept this weakness from revealing itself in his face and body language with practiced ease, but there was no denying the fact that this night and its many crises had taken their toll on him, as it had everyone else.

_And the night is not yet done,_ Gendo knew as he studied the three subordinates before him. An hour had passed since they had succeeded in retrieving Misato and bringing her back to NERV, an hour that had been spent in dealing with the myriad problems caused by her transformed self's rampage. _In fact, the _real _work is only just beginning._

With this thought, Gendo began the meeting. "Dr. Akagi, what is Katsuragi's current status?"

"Asleep. As soon as we had her on the ambulance, I gave her a strong sedative. She won't wake up before tomorrow morning," Ritsuko answered. "Given her emotional condition after everything that had happened, I felt that to tell her then would only serve to provoke another transformation, and that it might be easier to break the news to her after she had some sleep." Sighing heavily, the doctor shrugged lamely before adding, "At the very least, it's given us a chance to prepare special quarters for her at NERV Medical."

"I see," Gendo muttered. "Then she is secure?"

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko confirmed. "Her room is rigged so that, if she shows any signs of transforming again, it will be flooded with sleeping gas."

Fuyutsuki nodded to this and added, "I've taken the liberty to arrange for two guards to be stationed outside. They're armed with tranquilizers, just in case."

"Very good," Gendo conceded as he turned towards the third subordinate present. "Chiron, you reported earlier that there were witnesses to Katsuragi's transformation in the alley?"

"Yes, sir," Chiron responded, his irritation over this night's events showing more than he likely intended. "However, they've already been taken into custody. They're in the special detention cells right now, ready and waiting to be…processed."

"Good. We'll have to make sure that they're disposed of as soon as possible," Gendo stated firmly. His face tensing dangerously as he added, "Just as we'll have to work swiftly in order to clean the mess we made last night." He gave this a moment to sink in, making sure they realized exactly whom he meant when he said 'we'. "This situation was supposed to have been handled discretely. What went wrong?"

Chiron frowned unhappily before responding, "To put it simply, sir, Dr. Akagi is what went wrong."

"Me?" Ritsuko squawked indignantly. "Just what is _that _supposed to mean?"

"This was supposed to be a clean operation, doctor. We went in, took down the target, and got her out. No fuss, no muss," Chiron muttered, giving Ritsuko a sideways glare. "Instead, Dr. Bleeding Heart _insisted_ that Section 2 hold back. And because of that -!"

"Now, hold on!" Ritsuko broke in, pointing an accusing finger at the Captain. "I already told you -!"

"And because you did, a bunch of stupid punks wandered into the middle of what should have been a precision operation, and sent the entire thing up in smoke!" Chiron concluded, overpowering Ritsuko by force of volume. Folding his arms across his chest, he looked at her with an air of smug superiority. "Hmph. All we needed to do was put a single dart in the bitch, and the job would have been done. But because you went soft and tied our hands -!"

"I had full approval from Commander Ikari! We couldn't afford to take the chance of your people setting off a transformation before she could be secured! And in the state she was in, they _would _have set her off!" Ritsuko snarled vehemently. "And for that matter, why didn't your people manage to spot those kids? They should have been able to intercept them before they even got close!"

"We _did _spot them, Akagi! Unfortunately, because we were ordered to keep our distance, we weren't able to reach them before it was already too late!" Chiron sneered.

Rapidly losing patience with this impromptu blame game and sorely tempted to have the both of them shot rather than put up with them any longer, Gendo held up his hand and boomed, _"Enough!"_ His voice echoed throughout his office, slamming into the both of them with explosive force and silencing them instantly. "Dr. Akagi had my approval when she gave you orders, Chiron. And I will be reviewing Section 2's logs, to make certain that everything happened as you say it did." Frowning heavily, Gendo assumed his trademark pose. "For now, we have a great deal to do in order to effect clean up of this situation. Spirit escaped from the battlefield, and there's no knowing how much she does or does not know about the Major and her transformation. We know the 3rd Child was in contact with her, and he may have told her something damaging to us." Shifting his eyes towards Ritsuko, he considered her for a moment before saying, "Dr. Akagi, I want you to talk to the boy. See if you can get him to tell you what went on between him and Spirit."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko nodded, no trace of her former ill-tempered behavior.

"Sir, with all due respect, if you had let my men handle her, we wouldn't _need _to worry about Spirit at all now," Chiron broke in. "She was unconscious, and Lieutenant Misamaru, the agent in charge, had snipers in position and ready to go. All they would have needed was one shot, and -!"

"And they might have gotten her, but they would have sent Misato completely out of control!" Ritsuko broke in disdainfully. "At which point she would have probably turned half the city into a _parking lot!_"

Chiron was about to rebuke the doctor, but Gendo broke in, "Akagi is right. Securing Major Katsuragi was the priority, not taking a bad situation and making it even worse." Noting the barely-suppressed grimace Chiron sported, as well as the tiny smirk of triumph curling the doctor's lip, the Commander sat back and frowned that much more deeply. "However, it remains true that something must be done about Spirit, and as soon as possible. She's already destroyed three of the Angels before NERV could successfully intercept them, and her actions have brought considerable scrutiny from both the UN and the Committee down upon us." Pausing to send a deadly look at Ritsuko, he added, "If Spirit had been dealt with, that would have gone a long way to mitigating our situation. As it is, it will be extremely difficult to keep the Committee from finding out _exactly _what happened here. And that is something we cannot afford." While the three of them processed this, Gendo asked, "Dr. Akagi, you said earlier that you were able to retrieve the wings the Major tore off of Spirit?"

Nodding quickly, Ritsuko answered, "Yes, sir. I've already had them sent to my lab for analysis. With a little luck, they should give us a better idea of how her powers work, and possibly even who she really is."

"Very good. Have a team begin work on them immediately." When Ritsuko nodded, Gendo turned his attention elsewhere. "Sensei, you and I are going to have to arrange for a suitable cover for both ourselves and the Major. Too many people already know about her…other self, but if we can convince the public and the Committee that she and this creature are two separate entities, then it might give us an advantage in the future."

"Very well," Fuyutsuki intoned wearily.

"In the meantime, we have much work that needs to be done. Chiron, have Section 2 placed on the alert. If there is anyone else out there who knows that the Major is this creature, I want them found, and silenced." Smiling unpleasantly at this, Chiron nodded as Gendo turned towards Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi, we must learn everything we can about the Major's mutation, and how her transformation functions. As of this moment, _that_ is your number one priority."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko answered somberly. "However, sir, in order to conduct the full array of tests needed, I'm going to need a specialized laboratory." Heaving a deep sigh, she let her gaze fall momentarily before adding, "Also, I'd like permission to set up better living quarters for Misato. If we're going to have to keep her here, then…"

"Then the more comfortable she is, the less likely she is to have another…episode," Fuyutsuki concluded, to which Ritsuko nodded.

"So noted," Gendo agreed. "Work with Fuyutsuki, and make whatever arrangements you feel necessary."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko replied, politely ignoring how Chiron rolled his eyes at this. "Thank you, sir."

Pleased that everyone was on task and ready to handle the damage control, Gendo considered the next move. "Now, it won't be long before Fuyutsuki and I have to leave on an important inspection, but before we go, I'd like to make a statement to the press, addressing this latest rampage," he decided, nauseated by the thought of having to deal with the media vultures. "Hopefully, we'll be able to defuse a bad situation before it gets worse."

"You'll never be able to satisfy all the newshounds, sir," Chiron muttered sourly. "Damned snoops, always trying to dig up stuff that's better off buried…"

"Perhaps, but we should try to quell any public concern before we are subjected to more scrutiny than we can avoid," Gendo countered. "We'll announce that we've captured the creature responsible for the destruction caused both last night and during her first transformation. We should also produce some footage of the battle as evidence of the capture."

"Very well," Fuyutsuki muttered, no entirely pleased with this. "And what about the creature? Should we declare her to be an Angel, or…?"

"No. To say that would be to declare than an Angel bypassed NERV's detection nets and caused massive amounts of destruction without any response on our part," Gendo muttered, not wanting to even think about what the media or the UN would do with such an admission of weakness. "We'll tell them that the creature is the result of an Angelic infection. That someone was…exposed to residue from the last Angel. Perhaps some form of virus, and that it's responsible for her condition." Nodding mostly to himself, the Commander scrutinized this idea for a moment longer before saying, "Dr. Akagi, I'll need you to make a statement to the press to confirm all of this. I want you prepared to back up anything you say with some…hard evidence."

"Understood," Ritsuko nodded somberly.

Gendo was about to say something else, but then he frowned in thought. "We should probably try and think of something to call this creature. Some name to give to the press…"

"Hmph. Knowing them, they'll probably think of something all on their own," Fuyutsuki noted with a weary sigh. "I even heard Lieutenant Hyuga referring to it as a _She-Hulk_, for pity's sake…"

"A…She-Hulk…?" Ritsuko repeated. When Fuyutsuki nodded, the doctor put her hand to her forehead. "Yeah, that sounds like something he would come up with…"

"Whatever you decide to call this thing, I want a statement made to the press _today."_ The two of them swiveled their eyes at Gendo, who leaned in closer and muttered, "We need to deal with this situation swiftly. Get it under control."

As the two of them slowly nodded, the Commander shifted his eyes and considered another problem. "There's one other matter. With the Major presently…incapacitated, we'll need someone else to take her place. Someone responsible enough to oversee operations here at NERV."

Chiron's eyes took on a distinctive glint at this, and he looked like he was about to say something when Fuyutsuki suggested, "In that case, I would recommend Lieutenant Ibuki." Not appearing to notice the way Chiron's mouth popped open at this, Gendo's former teacher went on to say, "She's had officer's training, and has proven herself to be both competent and reliable in the past."

"Agreed. Maya may not have Misato's…aggressiveness, but she's very good at working under fire," Ritsuko interjected.

"I will take your suggestions under consideration," Gendo answered before Chiron could interrupt with some of his male chauvinist predilections. "For now, you're all dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki responded as one. Chiron paused to sneer at them before echoing their response.

As the three of them departed Gendo's office, he sat back in his seat and considered the events of that night. "A She-Hulk…" he commented, turning that name this way and that, considering it for a time. On the one hand, it sounded like something a cartoonist or sci-fi writer would cook up, and thus was something that Hyuga would very likely concoct. But at the same time, Gendo couldn't help but feel it appropriate. After all, the creature was like something right out of comic book or a movie, so why not?

As Gendo continued to sit there, he thought of Dr. Akagi's analysis of Misato's blood, of the accident of nature and science that she had become. He thought of the battle that had taken place between the hulking beast and Spirit, and how the winged thorn in his side only survived because of the creature's unpredictability.

But the unpredictable could be made predictable. And many great inventions had been the results of accidents that had later been replicated, refined, and most importantly of all, controlled. And as Gendo thought of the battle once again, savoring Spirit's cries in his mind, he took the destructive power of one Hulk or She-Hulk…and doubled it. Two Hulks. And where there could be two Hulks…why not ten? Or twenty? Or a hundred?

Or an army?

Gendo thought of SEELE, of the JSSDF, of how they would move against him when his true agenda was unveiled. He thought of the already-planned mass-production Evangelions, of the massive armed forces that would sent against him. Then he thought of those mighty powers, confronted with the horror of an army of Hulks and She-Hulks. Unimaginably powerful, nearly invincible, and virtually tireless. All of them acting according to the will of a single, guiding intelligence.

Chuckling lowly, Gendo thought of the irony of such madness spawning such bold new possibilities for him. But then, that was the beauty of unexpected happenings in perfect plans; they could do nothing that would ultimately change the final outcome…and might even add to it, when everything was said and done.

* * *

In NERV Medical, Shinji sat in one of the various hallways, hands clasped together and eyes boring into the floor. From time to time, he would look down the hall, at a door barred by two Section 2 agents. A door that held behind it the woman who had given Shinji everything in his life. A woman who now may be cursed for the rest of hers.

_Jet Alone…sabotaged…_ Shinji thought again, allowing the anger to surge through him again, the thought that someone was personally responsible for the horrors of this night. And the horrors that he knew were still to come._ How're we going to tell Misato about this? How will she…what will she…?_

As he lost himself in the nightmarish images his imagination conjured up, every worst-case scenario he could dream up appearing before his eyes with terrifying clarity, a voice from off to his side said, "Hey, Third." Slowly sitting up, Shinji turned and saw Asuka standing there, a genuinely sympathetic expression on her face.

"Oh…hi Asuka," Shinji responded quietly. Unsure of what else to say, he hesitated and asked, "So, um…how're you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Nothing that won't heal soon enough," the German answered with a dismissive wave. Frowning wearily, she looked towards the guarded room. "So…how's Misato?"

"She's still asleep," Shinji answered sadly, not even wanting to think of what would happen when she woke up. Knowing that he had to think of it, all the same. "Asuka…how're we gonna tell her about this? I mean…how can we tell her…?"

Sighing heavily, Asuka shook her head and admitted, "I don't know." Exhaling sharply, she threw up her arms and declared, "I still don't believe this _schisse!_ How the hell could this be happening, anyway?"

Understanding the German's frustration all too well, Shinji shrugged and answered, "Akagi-san…she told me that this had something to with Jet Alone."

"Jet Alone?" Asuka repeated blankly. Then her eyes lit up with understanding and she nodded, "Oh, right, Hikari told me about that. She said that Misato went in and stopped it before it could explode."

"She did," Shinji nodded, again feeling a wave of guilt. "But…she cracked her helmet before she got inside, and then…the radiation…it did _this _to her…"

"Seriously?" Asuka gaped, raising an eyebrow at her fellow Child. Then she snorted in derisive laughter. "Oh, come on, Third! You can't seriously believe that crap! That's like something out of a pre-Impact comic book!"

"But…that's Akagi-san told me," Shinji replied, snapping Asuka out of her mirth. "She said that the radiation mutated her, or…or something like that."

"Really?" As Shinji nodded, Asuka considered this for a moment before shrugging and leaning back against the wall. "I guess comic book writers are smarter than you'd think." Pressing her lips together, the German studied him for a time before asking, "Soo…what exactly are you doing here, anyway?"

"Uh…Akagi-san told me to wait here for her," Shinji replied wearily. "She, uh…she said that she'd…explain everything that happened…when she got here, and…"

"And just when does she plan on coming here, anyway?" Asuka wondered with some of her usual temperament.

"Well, she said she had a meeting with Father, and…I guess she'll be down here as soon as she can," Shinji answered lamely. Asuka looked like she was going to say something to that, but ultimately shrugged and sat down near her fellow Child.

The two of them sat there in silence for what felt like hours. Silence that lasted until the sound of approaching footsteps caused them to look up and see Ritsuko and Maya approaching. "Hello, you two," the lieutenant smiled gently, looking about as tired as they felt. "How're you holding up?"

"Uh…okay, I guess," Shinji murmured, unsure of what else he could say.

"Okay? I feel one of those damned bimbos you see in a horror movie who just got chased by the resident monster!" Asuka grumbled as she got to her feet and put her hands to her hips. "And as if that wasn't enough, I still don't have a clue as to how the hell all of this _schisse _is happening! Why in the -?"

"That's one of the reasons we're here. So if you'll calm down for a moment, we'll tell you everything we've learned so far," Ritsuko told them gingerly. Pausing to look about, clearly not like the open hallway and the possible eyes and ears that could be there, she returned her focus to the children. "Come on, you two. Let's take this someplace private."

Lacking the will or the energy to contest this, Shinji obediently rose up and began following the two women, with Asuka doing the same a moment later. Without a word, the four of them made their way to an empty lounge. Once they were inside, Ritsuko closed the door and locked it, giving it a good shake afterwards to make certain that it was secure. Only then did she turn towards the pilots and told them, "Sit down, please." Pausing just long enough to exchange a look, Shinji and Asuka did as they were told, both looking expectantly at the doctor. "Now, as you already know, Misato has undergone some kind of mutation. One that was apparently caused by two principle factors. As I've already explained to Shinji, one of those factors was Misato's exposure to gamma radiation from Jet Alone's nuclear reactor. However, the primary cause of her condition apparently happened fifteen years ago."

"Fifteen years ago?" Asuka responded disbelievingly. The German continued to sit there, mentally chewing over this statement for a while, but then the wheels behind her eyes began to whir into high gear, sending her jaw plummeting to the floor. "Wait a minute! Are you talking about…_Second Impact?"_

Ritsuko nodded in confirmation. "That's correct. Now, you already know the truth behind Second Impact. That the 1st Angel was discovered in Antarctica, and during the investigation, the Angel exploded." Pausing to give the two of them a moment to nod, the doctor sighed heavily. "However, what you might not know is that the research facility studying the 1st Angel was overseen by a Dr. Ryota Katsuragi."

"D-Dr…._Katsuragi?_" Shinji spat out in disbelief. "Y-you mean…?"

Maya nodded sadly. "Yes. He was Misato's father."

"That's right, and Misato was there when Second Impact occurred." The two teens were aghast at this, and both of them were about to ask the same question when Ritsuko answered it. "The only reason she survived that event was because her father managed to get her to a survival capsule before the final explosion of Adam's power occurred. However, that doesn't change the fact that she suffered a high level of physical and mental trauma as a result." Pausing to take a deep breath, the doctor seemed to consider how exactly to say what she needed to say next. "Now, as near as we've been able to determine, this exposure altered Misato's cellular structure, perhaps even on a genetic level. It's enable her body to absorb tremendous amounts of energy without physical damage. In this case, the radiation from Jet Alone's nuclear reactor."

"So…_that's_ what happened to her? She got zapped by the _1st Angel?"_ Asuka shrieked in shock and horror. "But…she never told us anything about any of this _schisse!_"

"I'm not surprised. It's not something Misato likes to talk about," Ritsuko informed them. "What she had to go through to recover from that…well, there's a lot there that she never talked about. Not with anyone."

For a long time, Shinji considered this, and he found himself slowly nodding his understanding. He recalled his own life, and thought of the many things in it that he didn't talk about with anyone. Things that hurt too much, caused him to bleed too easily, even after so many years. Then something in the doctor's explanation caused him to frown. "But…the mess with Jet Alone happened a while ago," he said, giving voice to his qualm. "So…why is this happening to Misato _now?_"

"We don't know, Shinji," Maya replied sadly. "Maybe because it took this long for the Major's physiology to reconfigure enough for such a transformation. Maybe…"

"There could be any hundreds of reasons as to why she hasn't transformed before now. We just don't have enough information to work with at this point," Ritsuko stated flatly, speaking like this was just another day at the office for her. "The MAGI are still analyzing samples of her blood, and as soon as she wakes up, I can start running more comprehensive evaluations, but for now…"

His stomach knotting up at the uncertainty in the doctor's voice, Shinji gulped nervously before saying, "Akagi-san, you…you said before that…that you could cure her."

"I think so. There's nothing to indicate that her condition can't be cured." As Shinji took heart in this, Ritsuko frowned and admitted, "But as I said before, Shinji, we need time to study Misato's condition. It's completely without precedent, and we have to be careful not to do anything to make her condition even worse." Heaving a weary sigh, she gave him a look of pure remorse before giving voice to what he had feared most. "In the meantime…I'm afraid Misato will have to stay here at NERV."

Shinji knew that this would likely be the case. He knew that the creature Misato became when angered was simply too dangerous to be allowed to roam freely. And he also knew that he should be grateful that Ritsuko genuinely wanted to help her, instead of simply gunning her down and ridding them of a potential threat. But none of these things made it any easier for him to deal with this reality as it clenched at his throat and twisted his insides. His mind went into overdrive, conjuring up awful images of his guardian's incarceration, as if it were trying to top itself with each horror it spat out. "I…" Shinji began, only to very nearly choke on his own words. "I…understand…"

After silently sitting there for an unknown length of time, Shinji was startled out of his stupor by someone lightly bopping him over the head. "Hey, c'mon, Third! It's not like it's the end of the world here!" Asuka declared irritably. "At least Misato isn't stuck like that thing all the time! And besides, Akagi just said that they think they can cure her! So lighten up!"

Before Shinji could say anything in response, Maya agreed smilingly. "That's right. We'll find a cure for the Major, you two! I promise! We just need a little time, that's all."

"And in the meantime, we're already taking certain precautions to make sure that no one else learns of Misato's condition," Ritsuko explained. "Now, Shinji, I need to ask you for a favor here."

"Huh?" After a moment's confusion, Shinji shrugged and answered, "Oh, uh…sure. Of course. Uh…what is it?"

"When Misato recovers from the sedative I gave her, I'd like for you to be here," Ritsuko explained levelly. "I don't think I need to tell you that Misato's going to have a difficult time dealing with…what she's become. I'd like for you to be here, to help comfort her." The doctor pressed her lips together, and added, "I get the feeling she's going to need all the comforting she can get."

"Huh. Now _there's _the understatement of the century," Asuka grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"I know," Maya agreed. "Still, we could really use your help here. You were able to keep the Major under control, even in her She-Hulk state. If she were to wake up and get upset, or if she were to have a nightmare…"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Asuka broke in with a heavy frown. "She-Hulk? _That's _what you're calling this thing?"

"Actually, that's what _Makoto_ decided to call this…creature." Asuka groaned in disgust and dismay, prompting a tiny smile from Ritsuko. "Anyway, thank you, Shinji. I really do appreciate this."

"Oh, it's nothing, Akagi-san," Shinji replied with a deep smile. "I…I just want to help her, and…"

"Oh, brother," Asuka groaned as Shinji trailed off. As three pairs of eyes settled on her, the German sighed and shrugged helplessly. "Oh, well, I guess if he's staying, I might as well stick around as well."

"But…Asuka, you don't have to…!" Shinji protested lamely. Then he sputtered a bit when something else occurred to him. "B-besides, someone needs to take care of PenPen!"

"Actually, it might be a good idea to have him here as well," Ritsuko mused, causing the others to look at her in surprise. "Misato's going to need a lot of support, and we could use all the friendly faces we can get."

"Good idea," Maya agreed. "They can even sleep in here, in the lounge."

"Right, good thinking. I'll have someone stop by your place and pick up PenPen," Ritsuko told them. With a weary sigh, she added, "In the meantime, you two, I suggest you get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is not going to be pleasant."

Sighing, Shinji nodded, recalling the last time something horrible had happened to someone precious to him. A similar pit of despair opening in his stomach as he murmured, "I know, Akagi-san. I know…"

* * *

Groaning as the morning sun fell upon her closed eyes, Misato turned about on her bed, frowning as she slowly made her way to consciousness. As her head shifted one way, then the next, her eyes slowly fluttered open…and revealed an unfamiliar ceiling above her.

"What the…?" Misato got out, staring hard a ceiling that clearly wasn't the one she usually woke up under. Struggling to clear the fog from her mind, she sat up in her bed, and didn't see her room. Didn't see the familiar clutter. Didn't see anything that she associated with home. "What the hell's going on? Where am I?"

As she became more and more awake, Misato began to process her surroundings, and realized with a sharp gasp that she was wearing a medical gown. "Wait a minute…NERV Medical?" she demanded of the empty air. "What is this? How'd I get _here_?"

Not even needing a can of the rocket fuel called Yebisu to fully awaken, Misato sat up and looked around, and soon realized that this wasn't like one of the examination rooms she was used to seeing, the kind that Shinji had already wound up in too many times. It was larger, with heavily padded walls, and there was a security camera mounted in one corner. A chill shooting up and down her spine, Misato carefully got out of the bed and went to the door. She tried to open it, but to her growing alarm, discovered it to be locked. "Hey!" she shouted, equal parts angry and scared. "What the hell is going on here?"

As Misato stared at the door, giving serious consideration to kicking it into submission, a small door opened in the door, revealing a pair of sunglasses-equipped eyes staring at her through reinforced glass. "Major Katsuragi," the sunglasses' owner spoke slowly. "Glad to see you're awake."

_Section 2? What _is_ all this?_ Misato wondered, her bad feeling getting that much worse. "Hey! What the _hell_ is going on?" she demanded, rapidly losing what little patience she had. "What am I _doing_ here?"

"Please remain calm. We've already notified Dr. Akagi that you are awake," the agent informed her in that cool, in-charge tone that she had quickly learned to loathe. "Just relax, and she'll be here shortly."

"Yeah, well, she _better!"_ Misato snarled, and was surprised when the agent flinched nervously. "I _would_ like to know what's going on here, you know!"

"Uh, yes, sir," the agent replied before quickly closing the small door.

Frowning, Misato stared at the closed door for several seconds. "Huh. That's weird," she noted. Section 2 was notoriously incompetent, but they weren't known for being skittish.

Deciding to just wait for Ritsuko to show up and clear everything up, Misato sat back in her bed and tried to figure her predicament out for herself. _Let's see now…_ she began, trying to clear away the fog that still lingered in her brain. _I remember falling over and bashing my head at the apartment, but…_

Frowning, Misato struggled to recall what happened next, but her memories seemed to skip around. There were images of Shinji, some thugs, and…other things. Grimacing at the goosebumps that were rising up from her flesh, she fought to cull forth what happened next, but failed. _Another blackout,_ she realized, wrapping her arms about her torso. _So…what happened? What was I doing?_

Misato had no answers. And to make it worse, she couldn't help but feel like she didn't truly want the answers to her questions. _Something bad happened,_ she realized in her heart. She wasn't sure what, but the images that she was able to dredge up just made her certain that something…bad…had happened.

While Misato tried to claw more intact memories from her uncooperative subconscious, the door to her room suddenly opened. Whirling about to look at it, she watched as Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki entered her tiny room. "Greetings, Major Katsuragi," the old professor began gently. "It's good to see you up and around."

"Uh…Sub Commander?" Misato gaped, taken aback by his appearance. "What are you…hey, what's going on around here?" she demanded, her irritation showing more than she wanted. To her surprise, Fuyutsuki and Ritsuko jumped back a step, looking at her as if she was primed to explode at any second. "What the…?"

"Uh…now, Misato, please, try and stay calm here…" Ritsuko pleaded softly, holding up her hands in a disarming fashion.

"Stay _calm?_ Ritsuko, do you have any idea what I've been going through lately?" Misato shrilled, her fuse burning away with each word. "Well, I sure as hell hope so! Because that would make _one _of us!"

Wincing at her friend's ire, Ritsuko gulped down a fresh breath of air. "Then…you don't remember…what happened last night?"

Frowning at this, even more upset at this confirmation that it was the now the next day, Misato sighed as she tried to find the words. "I…not really," she admitted, her anger dissipating before a growing mass of fear. "Just bits and pieces of things that don't make any sense," Misato responded, frowning as her confusion returned. Placing her hands to her temple, Misato struggled to get her brain to function a bit better. "The last thing I remember clearly was me tripping and falling back at my place…"

"And nothing else?" Ritsuko wondered in amazement.

"No…not really. Just…bits and snatches, that's all. Like I…I wasn't even here all the time. If that makes any sense." Taking a moment to massage her temples, Misato frowned before returning her full attention to the people before her. "So…what's going on here? Did something happen last night?"

A deep knot began to form in Misato's stomach as the people before her looked at each other again, Fuyutsuki frowning deeply as he muttered, "You…could say that, Major." Turning towards the door, the old professor told the Section 2 guards, "Send them in."

Narrowing her eyes in confusion, Misato watched as one of the Section 2 agents wheeled in a cart a large laptop on it. As soon as he had inside the small room, he took a glance at her before practically jumping back out the door. Before she ask about the case of spinelessness being displayed by NERV's secret police, two children and a penguin slid inside. "Misato! You're awake!" Shinji cried out upon his arrival, carrying PenPen in his arms while Asuka followed close behind. "Are you alright?"

"Am I…?" Misato struggled to get out as she studied the two children, her stomach twisting even more. Shinji was acting too cheerful, as if trying to compensate for something. And Asuka was standing a short distance behind the normally reserved 3rd Child, moving as he did. As if doing her best to keep him between herself and Misato.

Her heart clenching as the fact that something was horribly wrong was driven home as if it had been fired from a positron rifle, Misato looked desperately at the two children. "Shinji…Asuka…what's going on? And…why'd you bring PenPen? What is…?"

"Major Katsuragi," Fuyutsuki intoned in his famous tone of authority. As Misato looked up sharply and met the gaze of NERV's second-in-command, she saw in his eyes a deep sorrow. "I'm…afraid we have some bad news for you." The old professor seemed to age before her eyes as he added, "It's in regards to your…condition."

As these words sank down upon her shoulders, Misato slowly sat back on her bed, very much afraid…

* * *

By the time Ritsuko was done explaining to Misato exactly what had happened to her, what she had become, NERV's Head Scientist felt more horrible and shamed than she had in more years than she could remember.

She began her explanation by telling Misato about her mutation, using the laptop to show her the specific changes her cells had gone through, her blood in the process of transforming, as well as the specific readings taken from her blood in its mutant condition. Ritsuko went on to show her video recorded by the helicopters during the failed attempt to capture the She-Hulk, including the battle against Spirit and the how the emerald savage had unleashed an earthquake throughout Tokyo-3. During this time, Shinji and Asuka offered testimony to the beast's actions and strengths, as well as told Misato of the various occurrences that had not been caught on camera.

With each revelation, Misato's features became more drawn and haggard. Shadows appeared beneath her eyes and she collapsed a little bit more beneath each piece of evidence. And despair filled her face as she looked at the repeating video of the She-Hulk's rampage.

"I think I'm going to throw up…" Misato finally moaned, her entirely body trembling with horror as she slowly pointed at the screen, which showed the She-Hulk scaring the living daylights out of the crew of one of the helicopters she had destroyed. "I…I actually changed…into _that…?_"

"I'm…afraid so," Ritsuko admitted, even as Shinji and Asuka looked sadly at their guardian. "To make matters worse, the mutation is an automatic function that is triggered by heightened adrenaline levels in your body, so…every time you get angry or upset…it _will_ happen again."

This was the final blow, a blow that caused Misato's head to fall, leaving her staring helplessly at the floor. She held out her sickly twitching hands, looking at them as if she didn't know what to do with them. "Then…this is real?" she gasped. "I'm really…that _monster?_ _I'm _the one…that wrecked the train, and…and all of it…?

"Yes, Misato. I'm afraid it is," Ritsuko told her, her voice laden with shame.

As they watched, tears began to fall from Misato's eyes, spattering upon the floor. "Misato?" Shinji started as his guardian sobbed loudly, shuddering as wave after wave of sorrow cascaded upon her. "Misato…?"

Sniffing loudly, Misato shook even more as she averted her eyes from the gentle boy. "Kill me…"

"Huh?" Shinji gasped loudly. His face making it clear the horror rushing through his veins at those two words. "Misato…what the -?"

_"You have to kill me!" _Misato shrieked, bringing up her hands to claw at her own head, even as more tears fell from her face. "I'm a _monster, _Shinji! A goddamned _monster!"_

"No!" Shinji instantly cried in protest, horror and anger carving paths across his face. _"No, you're not!"_

"Yes, I _am!"_ Misato wailed, covering her face as even more tears cascaded down her cheeks. "I could've killed you, Shinji! I attacked Asuka, I tried to kill Spirit, I killed God-knows-_how _many people out there!" Misery and self-loathing overflowing from her eyes, Misato curled up on the bed, as if trying to hide herself from their eyes. "I have _Adam_ inside of me…oh, _god,_ I'm just like a _goddamned ANGEL!"_

"H-hey, c'mon, Misato! You…you're no Angel!" Asuka protested, trying to grin despite everything. "And besides…you didn't actually…_attack_ me. You just…knocked me around, that's all…!"

A tormented wail tore free of Misato lips and filled the room, sending the redhead scooting backwards and cringing. She cringed even more when Shinji turned his horrified gaze on her. "Asuka!"

Looking helplessly from Shinji to Misato and back again, Asuka sputtered, "I mean…well, that is…" The German faltered, threw up his hands, and shouted, "Well, _you_ tell her!"

Not allowing herself to be sidetracked by the children, Ritsuko went up to her friend and placed her hands squarely on her shoulders. "Misato, listen to me!" she spoke with as much force as she could muster, kneeling down so as to be able to look her friend in the eyes. "You're not monster, and you're not an Angel!" When Misato didn't respond to this, the doctor took a deep breath, and tried a different tact. "And just so you know, you didn't kill _anyone_ last night!"

For several seconds, no one was sure if Misato even heard the doctor's words. However, the purple-haired woman eventually looked up from her hands, and looked at Ritsuko with eyes filled with desperation. "What…?"

Nodding, Ritsuko gave her friend a tender smile. "You caused a lot of chaos out there, Misato, no arguments there. And you certainly banged up quite a few people…not to mention what you did to Chiron's car." Chuckling over that bit and deciding to go into further detail about it when the time was right, the doctor focused on telling Misato she needed to hear. "But no one died out there. You never killed _anyone_."

"That's right, Misato!" Shinji smiled with as much encouragement as he could muster, even as PenPen warked in agreement. "You're no killer. I _know_ that!"

"I honestly don't know what was going through your mind while you were transformed, Misato, but I do know that you were holding back most of the time," Ritsuko continued, invoking scientific fact and analysis. "If you had really wanted to kill somebody, believe me, you could have. But you didn't. You thought that the people around you were putting Shinji in danger, and you were fighting to protect him, every step of the way." Watching as Misato focused on her, fear and disbelief and hope all swirling together in her still-tearing eyes, the doctor sighed wearily before attempting the most difficult part of her story. "And as for Spirit…well, you weren't entirely responsible for what happened with her."

"Wha…?" Misato wondered, confusion and hope warring in her eyes. "Wh-what do you mean…?"

"Here, we'll show you," Ritsuko answered. With a few quick keystrokes, she went to the part of the footage that showed Spirit's arrival. They watched as the She-Hulk studied the winged girl, various emotions warring across her face, even as the helicopter moved closer.

"When Spirit arrived on the battlefield, Ikari ordered the remaining helicopter to fire a rocket at her, in the hopes that she would deploy her AT-Field," Fuyutsuki explained evenly as the events played out on the screen. "It was only after that happened that you started attacking her."

"So she…I mean, I thought Spirit was an Angel?" Misato asked, even more hope creeping into her voice. When Fuyutsuki nodded, the Major frowned, the wheels rapidly turning in her mind. "Wait a minute…" In the span of a few seconds, Misato's grief and shame faded, and were replaced by a rage that sent her eyes flashing with green. "Are you telling me that Gendo _wanted me to kill Spirit?"_

"I'm…afraid so," Fuyutsuki replied, even as Shinji frowned scornfully. "He felt that, given the trouble Spirit has given us in the past, that we should take the opportunity to…" The older man never got the chance to finish his sentence, for before his eyes, the hatred and loathing in Misato's face intensified. Half-expecting her to transform right then and there, Ritsuko cringed as the furious Major shoved her down to the floor and started towards the door.

"Misato, what are you doing?" Shinji asked as she grabbed hold of the hand and pulled to no avail.

"I'm going to smash that goddamned bastard's evil head in!" Misato snarled, trying to force the door open.

Blanching at the image, Ritsuko shot up from the floor. "Misato, wait!" she cried out, grabbing hold of Misato's shoulder and forcing her to turn and look at her. Her courage almost failing her at the sight of the brilliant green shining in Misato's eyes, Ritsuko gulped and said, "Please, you don't want to do that!"

"_Oh, yes I do!"_ Misato declared with zeal. "That bastard tried to turn me into a _murderer!_ And if he wants that so badly, then I might as well give him _exactly_ what he wants!"

"But, Misato! You…you can't!" Shinji protested.

"Why not? My life is over, anyway!" Misato shrilled incredulously. "If I'm going down, then I'm taking Gendo with me!"

Realizing that it was now or never, Ritsuko shouted, "But, Misato, _we can cure you!"_

These words hit Misato like a fist, instantly stilling her and prompting her to look up in surprise. "What?" Her eyes narrowing slightly, the purple-haired woman studied Ritsuko for a moment before saying, "Ritsuko…if this is some kind of joke or trick…"

"It's not a trick, Misato!" Shinji piped up enthusiastically. "T-tell her, Akagi-san!"

Ritsuko nodded confidently. "The MAGI have completed their diagnostic of your original blood sample, and all three have given an affirmative." Doing her best to say each word like she meant it, the doctor explained, "Given what we presently know about this mutation, we currently have a 63.4% probability of successfully neutralizing it."

Blinking once, twice, then three times, Misato got out, "That high, huh?" Backing away from the door a bit, she considered this for a moment before saying, "That's…pretty good, I guess." Giving Ritsuko a wan version of her typical smile, she added, "Heck…it makes the odds they gave the sniper job with the 5th Angel look like nothing."

"Yes, and…I think we can improve our chances even more," Ritsuko added, trying not to show how much she was bluffing. Of just how little she understood the processes at work within Misato's body. "We'll need some time to better study your condition, but I think we can increase the odds of success by another ten…maybe twenty percent."

"Hey, that sounds pretty good!" Asuka grinned. "I'm actually impressed here!"

"Yeah, it does…" Misato admitted, her anger fading, only to be replaced by a deeper pessimism. "But…my career, my life…"

"Are salvageable," Fuyutsuki cut in. As all eyes set on him, the Sub Commander managed a smile of his own. "We've done everything in our power to keep your condition a secret. As far as we're aware, no one outside of a select few within NERV know that you are the creature, and Ikari has already made it clear that the your secret is to _remain_ a secret." Giving Misato a moment to process this, Fuyutsuki took a step closer to her, speaking in a comforting, grandfatherly manner. "He's also agreed to keep you on as an advisor, until your treatment is complete. You won't be our Operations Director, but you will retain a measure of authority, and you will still be paid in full. You will also keep your apartment, and the children will be free to stay there until you are cured and are able to return."

"Really? That's great!" Shinji grinned as PenPen warked happily, raising his flippers in victory.

"Yeah!" Asuka smiled before looking up at their guardian. "See? Everything's going to be fine, Misato! So don't worry about it!"

"Yeah…it's very generous…" Misato noted, narrowing her eyes as she backed away from the door, looking at both Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki. "So…why _is _Gendo being so nice?"

"Huh?" Surprised by this shift in the conversation, Shinji looked at the three adults in confusion. "What…what are you…?" Finally, Misato's tone registered with him, and he frowned, lowering his gaze. "Oh. Father…wants something…doesn't he?"

"Huh?" Asuka got out, looking at Shinji in surprise.

"Well, come on. Out with it," Misato muttered, glaring her disdain at her superior and her friend. "What does Gendo get out of this?"

_Same old Misato,_ Ritsuko thought with weary affection. Sighing, she forced herself to remain calm and collected. "In the course of…studying your mutation, we discovered something else about it. Something important," she explained, wishing she hadn't had to go into this. When the others looked at her, the doctor gathered herself together and continued. "According to the MAGI, there's a 78.1% chance that this…transformation process is compatible with the Evas."

"The Evas?" Shinji and Asuka repeated at the same time.

"Yes. As you know, the Evas are synthetic, biomechanical life forms. They have cell structures fairly similar to humans," Ritsuko explained. "When Gendo found out about your…condition, Misato, he…ordered me to see if there was some way to use it amplify the Evas' strength."

"And you did," Misato stated flatly, her features creasing with disgust. "So? How much of a power-up are we talking about?"

"I…don't know. At this point, I'm not even sure that it's even feasible. That's one of the reasons…the Commander wants me to study this mutation," Ritsuko admitted, frowning unhappily. "Misato, I'm sorry, but…"

"So, let me see if I get this straight. I get my life back, and in return, Gendo gets to supercharge the Evas. Is that the deal?" Misato asked of the two of them.

Sighing, Fuyutsuki nodded. "Yes. That is the deal."

Looking down at the floor, various forms of anger, shame, and hope rapidly flashing across his eyes, Shinji jumped slightly when Misato placed her hand on his head. "I…I guess I can live with that," she murmured as she ran her fingers through his hair. Heaving a deep, shaky breath, she forced herself to look at Ritsuko. "So…how long is this going to take?"

"I don't know," Ritsuko admitted, well aware that her friend was nearing the end of her emotional strength. "First, we'll have to set up a secure facility in which we can perform our studies, if only to insure your privacy. Then there's the actual analysis, and…" Almost able to see her friend's emotional armor cracking as she went on, the doctor abandoned her scientific explanations, and sighed in exhaustion. "I…I'm sorry, Misato, but it…it could take a while."

"I…understand," Misato got out, the weight of her situation once again falling squarely upon her shoulders. "Look, I'd…like to be alone for a while. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Ritsuko smiled easily. "Just know that…as long as you're here, we'll be doing everything we can to make you comfortable. I promise."

Sighing, Misato nodded shakily. "Thanks, Rits. Sub Commander," she fumbled out. "Would you mind…leaving the computer here? I'd…like something here. To help pass the time."

"I understand," Fuyutsuki smiled wanly as Misato moved to her bed, practically falling on it as she sat down.

"Misato…" Shinji murmured, sadness filling his face, even as Asuka looked onwards, grimacing in discomfort.

"Come on, you two," Misato spoke, barely managing to force a smile into place. "It's…going to be alright. I p-promise." Swallowing loudly as more tears forced their way free of her eyes, she visibly struggled to retain her composure, if only for a few more moments. "So…please, take care of yourselves. Okay?"

"Right," Asuka got out. She looked about the room, clearly uncertain as to what she should do next, and finally turned and fled the small space and all the pain and emotion seething in it.

Taking a moment to look at the departing redhead, Shinji allowed a tear to fall from his eye before returning his attention to Misato. "I…I'll come and visit you. Every day," he vowed, his voice cracking beneath the weight of his own words. "I…I promise! I…"

"I know, Shinji," Misato replied, slowly nodding as she reached out to embrace him. Gladly surrendering himself to being bear hugged, Shinji allowed a few more tears to fall down his cheeks. After a while, PenPen warked, as if wondering when his owner would get around to hugging him. "Oh, PenPen…you better behave yourself, okay?" she mock-scolded him as she relinquished her hold on Shinji to pick up the warm water penguin and caress him. "Please…both of you…take good care of yourselves, okay?"

"We will," Shinji vowed. When his guardian finally let go of PenPen, she handed the water fowl back to Shinji. "Misato…"

"Please…just go, Shinji…" Misato got out, her smile crumbling before an overwhelming wave of grief and exhaustion. "Please…just take care of yourselves. Please…"

"Uh…okay…" Shinji got out. He slowly turned and made his way to the door. Casting one last look at Misato, he and PenPen looked sadly at her for a long, silent moment, before finally departing.

As soon as Shinji departed, Misato allowed her smile to fail completely, a broken sob sounding as she collapsed beneath her overflowing emotions. "Misato…" Ritsuko began, not wanting to say what she was going to say, but knowing that she had to do so, all the same. "Just so you know…this room is rigged with sleeping gas…you know, just in case…"

"Yeah…I…thanks, Rits…" Misato got out as she brought up her legs wrapped her arms about herself. "Now please…just leave me alone…"

Ritsuko considered saying something, anything…but the words simply wouldn't come to her. She simply couldn't think of anything to say as she watched her friend collapse onto her bed. "Let's leave her be," Fuyutsuki intoned, prompting Ritsuko to look and watch as he moved towards the door, his own emotions flowing about mercurially behind his deeply controlled features. "Come, Dr. Akagi. We have work to do."

"Right," Ritsuko agreed, looking back at her friend just long enough for her heart to very nearly be crushed by her own guilt before turning to follow him. As soon as the faux-blonde had passed through the door, the Section 2 agents there closed and locked it. Not quite containing the despairing wail Misato let loose when she was finally alone.

Ritsuko didn't want to look back. She didn't want to listen to cries of pain that were muted but not completely stifled by the padded walls and locked doors. She wanted no further reminder of just how filthy her hands and her soul had become. But as Misato continued to cry out, just barely audible, she found herself unable to hold back. Glancing back over her shoulder, Ritsuko frowned as she saw the Sub Commander moving back to the door. "Sir?" she spoke barely above a whisper as he opened the small window in the door and peeked inside once more. "Sir?"

"It's nothing," Fuyutsuki responded as he looked at Misato, recalling a day over a decade ago. A day he had seen a sixteen-year-old girl with purple hair sitting still, mute, with a face haunted by horrors that should never be seen, let alone experienced. A girl who looked like she be out playing with her friends, or biting the eraser of her pencil as she struggled with a particularly difficult math problem. Not paying the price for humanity's sins.

_You had come so far since that day. Reconstructing your life. When I saw the woman you had become, I was amazed,_ Fuyutsuki mused sadly as he watched Misato sob uncontrollably. _And now, after another day of horrors and destruction…you're right back to where you were before. Paying for our sins all over again._

Fuyutsuki sighed wearily, sounding far older than he actually was as he let the small window fall closed again. Turning away from the door and the broken woman behind it, he started away when Ritsuko spoke again. "Fuyutsuki? Sir…where are you going?"

His hands folded behind his back, Fuyutsuki sighed as he looked over his shoulder at her. "To Hell, Dr. Akagi," he told her with a grieving smile. "Rest assured…I'm going to Hell."

That said, the Sub Commander once began making his way through the cesspool of secrets called NERV. As Ritsuko watched him slowly walk away, she sighed as well, the weight of her own sins weighing her down as well. "You're not alone in that," she muttered, barely reigning in the desire to collapse in a pool of her own tears and misery. "Trust me…you won't be going there alone..."

* * *

_This totally sucks,_ Asuka thought bitterly as she and Shinji made their way from Misato's room. Feeling as if someone had just finished giving her a massage with sandpaper. _Honestly, just how screwed up can life get, anyway?_

No matter how much she wished otherwise, Asuka couldn't help but be disturbed by what had happened with Misato. She didn't blame the Major for reacting the way she did to the revelation that she was the beast; if it had been her, she would have been begging to die, rather than have her body used as a timeshare by some ugly green freak, to do with as the monster pleased. But at the same time, the whole situation of being confronted with someone who had been ravaged and broken by something out of her control brought back unpleasant memories of her own past. Things that she would much rather bury and forget.

As she struggled to push those things out of her mind, barely aware of the boy and penguin walking alongside of her, a familiar voice cut through the gloom. "Well, hello, Asuka. Shinji."

Her dour thoughts instantly forgotten, Asuka whirled about to look at the voice's owner. "Kaji!" she squealed in girlish delight as she rushed up to grab the unshaven man by the arm. "So how are you doing? You aren't hurt, are you?"

"Well, I'm a little waterlogged, but I'll live," Kaji replied, taking Asuka's affectionate greeting in stride. Looking up from the German, he smiled, "Hey, there, Shinji. How are you doing?" A loud wark sounded at this, prompting the unshaven man to recoil somewhat. "Whoops! Sorry, how are you and _PenPen_ doing?"

Satisfied that he had not been forgotten or ignored, PenPen continued forward as Shinji sighed in emotional exhaustion. "Um…we're okay…I guess…" he got out noncommittally. "But…Misato…"

"Yeah, I know. It's a bad situation," Kaji agreed, shaking his head slowly. "Still, I wouldn't worry too much. After all, Katsuragi's in the hands of the most brilliant scientists in the world. If Ritsuko and her people can't do anything to help her, then I don't know who could." Snorting a laugh, he then added, "Short of _God_, that is."

"I know, but…" Shinji moaned, even as PenPen let out a saddened wark.

Glancing over at the depressed 3rd Child, Asuka was sorely tempted to tell him to stop moaning and being pitiful and actually act like a man for once. But as quickly as she felt this desire, she clamped her mouth shut, knowing full well how hard it was to be strong in a situation like this. And while Misato wasn't his mother or any kind of relation, she knew that he did care deeply about her. The fact that Shinji had raced after her bestial other was hard evidence of that.

Shaking her head in memory of that, at that first real demonstration that the soft-spoken 3rd Child actually had a spine, Asuka frowned and focused her attention on the man whose arm she held. "So, Kaji-kun, what are you doing here?"

"Eh, Ritsy-poo insisted that I get brought here for a quick checkup. Just wanted to make sure that I didn't break anything important when She-Hulk sent me flying, I guess." Rolling his eyes at this, Kaji then smiled deeply at the German. "So, when I heard that you two were here, I figured I'd see how you were doing."

"Why, thank you, Kaji-kun! But as you can see, I'm just fine!" Suffering another urge to make a snippy remark about the so-called pilot for whom the glass was always half-empty, Asuka leaned in closer and asked, "But could you do me a favor, Kaji-kun? _Please_ don't use that stupid name that dork Makoto came up with! Ugh!" Rolling her eyes in disdain at the title given Misato's other, she went on and grumbled, "Honestly! It's bad enough that we've got Akagi calling the big green freak that! Don't you start, too!"

Chuckling beneath his breath, Kaji shrugged and responded, "Aw, I'm sorry. But I'd rather not refer to that thing as being Katsuragi. She's already blaming herself enough without everyone else pinning every crazy thing that creature did on her." Glancing over at Shinji, he added, "After all, we all know that this isn't her fault, right?"

"Of course not," Shinji answered with a bit more strength, PenPen warking his agreement.

"Hmph," Asuka's sniffed irritably. "Well, whatever. But why can't we just call that thing 'the creature', or 'the monster'?" Privately deciding that the title 'big, ugly, green freak' was the most accurate description of them all, the German grumbled, "Seriously, _She-Hulk?_ Where the hell does that dork getthis _schisse _from?"

"Heh. Search me," Kaji answered with a casual shrug. "Say, I have an idea. Why don't I give you three a lift home?"

Instantly delighted by the suggestion, Asuka tightened her grip on the unshaven man's arm. "Oh, that would so sweet of you, Kaji-kun! Thanks!" When she didn't hear a certain voice seconding her opinion, she turned and glared at that voice's owner. "Isn't that right, Third?"

"Uh…well, sure, but…" Shinji fumbled nervously as he looked up at Kaji. "I…don't you want to see Misato?" Letting his gaze fall, he shrugged helplessly before saying, "I mean…I know she's upset and all, but…I – I just thought that…"

"Yeah, I know. Ritsy-poo filled me in," Kaji replied, unable to sugarcoat this in any way, shape, or form. "And normally, dropping by and given Katsuragi a serious cheering up would be the first thing on my 'to-do' list." Instinctively scowling at this admission, Asuka tightened her hold on Kaji's arm. "However, the Commanders decided that, given the situation and the way Sh- I mean, the _creature _reacted to me last night, that me dropping by might prove a little too…provocative."

_Yeah, well, that's just fine by me!_ Asuka thought, not wanting to think of the history Misato and Kaji shared. Aloud, she cooed, "Yeah, well, _I'm _always happy to see you, Kaji-kun!"

"Uh, yeah. I know, Asuka, I know," Kaji responded with a bit of weariness. Not that she could blame him for being tired after such a long, wretched night. "So, are you two going to be okay?" A puzzled squeak sounding in her throat, Asuka frowned as Kaji explained, "With Katsuragi being stuck here, that leaves the two of you pretty much on your own."

"Aw, don't worry, Kaji-kun!" Asuka returned, speaking as maturely as she knew how. "I can take care of myself, no problem!"

"Hmm…maybe. But still, I'm not sure I like the idea of the two of you all on your own." As Kaji frowned in thought, Asuka was about to tell him that he didn't have to worry, that she was more than capable of handling day-to-day living all by herself when he smiled and decided, "Would it be okay with you two if I dropped by every now and again? Just to make sure that everything's okay?"

Asuka was about to protest this, to make abundantly clear that she was an adult and she didn't need a babysitter. But before she could do more than open her mouth, she gasped and realized what a golden opportunity she was being handed.

_Kaji…dropping by? Looking in on us?_ Asuka thought, her mind whirring into overdrive as she pictured such a scenario. _Maybe even…_staying_ with us?_

As this idea took shape in her mind, Asuka found herself studying it this way and that, and as she did, she realized the possibilities that were being given to her on a silver platter. There was no doubt that Misato would not be returning for some time. In fact, judging by what Ritsuko had told them, it could take months, possibly even longer for her to be cured, if she could truly be cured at all. And as much as she felt she didn't need a guardian, she knew that Japanese law required for her to have someone working in that capacity. And who better to have filling that role than the man of her dreams?

The more she thought about it, the more perfect the situation became. After all, Ritsuko had already forbidden Kaji to visit Misato because of the way her other self reacted to him, and it seemed likely that she would continue to refuse him visitation out of fear of that monster returning to wreak havoc within NERV itself. And in that time, he would probably need a companion, someone to comfort him and remind him that there were much superior fish in the ocean for him to catch. And as time went by, who knew? Perhaps NERV would decide to assign her to Kaji's care permanently, in which case…

As she lost herself more and more in those delightful images, Shinji's voice rudely intruded on her. "Asuka…what are you smiling about?"

"Hmm?" Asuka started, turning to glare at the forlorn boy, his dismal face hardening with something that could almost have been anger. "Hey, I'm not smiling about _anything, _okay?" Shinji didn't say anything to this, but he didn't back away either. He just kept looking at her with his haunted eyes, until at last she looked from him.

As much as she didn't want to, Asuka understood Shinji's reaction. She knew if that she saw anyone delighting in something bad happening to Kaji, that person would soon be swallowing his or her own teeth. And she didn't particularly like the idea of profiting from another person's suffering herself. But the fact was that this opportunity was too much for her to pass up. She wanted to be loved, and more to the point, she _deserved _it. She _deserved _to have a man like Kaji. She had spent the majority of her life earning that.

_Besides, what am I supposed to? Give up on Kaji because I feel bad for Misato?_ Sniffing at the very idea, Asuka tightened her grip on her crush. _It could take _forever_ for her to be cured, assuming Akagi can pull it off at all! And if she can't be cured, then…_

Asuka paused, stumbling on that thought. She would never wish such an abysmal fate on Misato, but she knew from personal experience that life wasn't always kind to a person. Sometimes, bad stuff happened, you lost people who were important to you. And all you could do was move on and deal with it.

As this thought ran its course, Kaji spoke up again. "Hey, come on, Shinji! Keep your head up!" he beamed, moving to place a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. When he didn't respond, Kaji's smile faded somewhat. "C'mon, you won't do Katsuragi or anybody else any good by letting this get you down. Ritsuko and her people will take care of everything." He gave Shinji a shake on his shoulder, and added, "Relax. Katsuragi will back home before you know it. It'll be as if She-Hulk – I mean, the creature – never even existed."

Hoping that her crush was right, Asuka again winced at the name given Misato's inner beast. _She-Hulk. Good _Gott,_ where does Makoto come up with this stuff, anyway,_ she thought, rolling her eyes once again. _Thank goodness that stupid name doesn't have a chance of sticking!_

* * *

As Hikari staggered into her classroom that morning, she didn't bother with pausing to look at her fellow students to see if any of them were misbehaving. She didn't bother to glare at Kazu and see if he was setting up for yet another of his inane practical jokes. She didn't even attempt to look awake, alert, and in charge as she entered. The only thing she really wanted to do was collapse behind her desk and attempt to rest and relax for a few precious minutes before Mr. Takashima arrived and class officially began.

"Whoa, class rep! What the heck happened to _you?"_ Her attempt to rest already thwarted, Hikari swung her head towards Toji, who was standing a short distance away and looking at her like she was a total stranger.

"What, did you forget to sleep or something?"

"Uh…" Hikari stalled, wishing she could just ignore the jock's question. But even as she considered that possibility, she discarded it, knowing that her irresponsiveness would be completely out of character for her. "No, I just had a long night, that's all."

"Long night?" Toji repeated incredulously. "Are you kidding me? You look like you went toe-to-toe with a sumo wrestler and lost!"

_Hmph. Not a bad guess,_ Hikari thought irritably, thinking back to the catastrophic battle she had fought and lost, as well as what happened when she got home.

After suffering a lecture from Kodama and vainly trying to sleep through it, Hikari had told her that she would explain everything later. When her elder sister failed to be placated by this, Hikari had gone on to add that to start talking about it then and there would have been to risk their father coming to her room and seeing her still in the remnants of her costume. And while this had succeeded in getting Kodama to back off for the moment, Hikari knew that she would have to explain everything to her and Nozomi sooner or later. As soon as Kodama had departed, making it clear that she wanted an explanation sooner rather than later, Hikari had fallen back on her futon and gone instantly to sleep.

To Hikari's immense relief, she managed to sleep all the way through to morning without any nightmares. But that didn't mean she could shake the memories of the battle. The pain of every bone in her body being ground into a pulp, of her wings being ripped away, of feeling like every breath of air she took would be her last. Memories that had been with her in the morning as she had tried to adhere to her usual routine of cooking breakfast and casually chatting with her family before they went about their day. Memories that had had her jumping at the sight of anything green, had her seeing the mindless savage in every shadow and behind every building.

As Hikari decided that she would much rather fight an Angel than go another round with Misato's monstrous alter ego, she realized that Toji was still looking at her. "Uh…" she began, deciding a change in subject was in order, "So…where's Kensuke at, anyway? I thought you two were always hanging around each other." Then she frowned and looked about, searching for any sign of the absent Stooge, and soon realized that there were two other faces missing. "And…wait. Where's Asuka? And…?"

"Shinji? Don't know. He and the Devil weren't at home this morning," Toji muttered worriedly. "When I stopped by their apartment building, there were cops crawling all over the place! I couldn't even get close!"

"The _police _were there?" Hikari asked as she sat up to look Toji right in the eye. "Wh-what happened?"

"What happened? Haven't you heard?" Toji demanded, looking at her like she was the biggest idiot in the known universe. "That crazy creature that was on the news? That hulking…whatever-it-was they called it? It showed up again last night and went completely nuts throughout the entire city!" Folding his arms across his chest, the jock frowned and turned his gaze towards the world beyond the classroom windows. "The damned thing even set off this huge earthquake!"

"It…it did?" Hikari squeaked out.

Swinging back to look at her, Toji frowned and demanded, "What, are you saying you didn't even notice? It was all over the news this morning! Heck, me and my dad got tossed out of our beds by it!" Shaking his head in disbelief, the jock gestured out the window at the city beyond. "There were broken windows all over the place, and I saw a couple trashed cars and kinds of stuff all along the way to school this morning! Didn't you notice _any _of it?"

_Oh. Misato must've done something nasty when I was out cold,_ Hikari thought, glad that she had missed that part of the battle. Not even wanting to think of what could have provoked her into doing something like that, but certain that NERV was somehow responsible, the pigtailed girl sighed and answered, "Look, Toji, I…all I know right now is that I had a rotten night, okay? And to be quite honest, I usually don't watch the news in the morning, anyway. Nor do I really care about mysterious monsters or any of that." Heaving a deep sigh, Hikari averted her eyes and decided another change in subject was in order. "Whew…I sure nothing's wrong with Asuka."

Clearly displeased by the shift in topic, Toji sighed and sat back in his seat. "Yeah…I wonder if Shin-man and the others got called to NERV because of this thing?"

Despite the fact that she knew Shinji had been nowhere near NERV, Hikari realized that that was a probable explanation for Asuka's absence. _Heck, I bet they've got all three Evas watching over Misato-sama right now!_ she thought, picturing such a scenario in her mind. Frowning at this, she leaned down on her desk, cushioning herself with her arms.

_I shouldn't have just left them,_ Hikari frowned, recalling how she had departed the battlefield, leaving both Shinji and Misato surrounded by a veritable army of Section 2 agents. _I mean, I know Shinji said that they would be okay, but…how can they be okay? NERV _knows _that Misato is that…is that creature, and… _But even as her stomach twisted in knots from guilt, she found that she simply couldn't think of anything else she could have done. And there was no doubt that the creature Misato had become was every bit as dangerous as an Angel. There was no way she could have helped such a monster escape to roam freely, destroying anything it happened upon.

Frowning, Hikari continued to consider these things. _Okay. First thing to do is track down Shinji, find out from him what happened to Misato, make sure she's okay,_ she decided. She would have to be careful that NERV didn't detect her, but she had to make sure that Misato was alright. _And while I'm at it…I think I better ask him a bit more about the Angels._

Nodding mostly to herself, Hikari thought back to things Shinji had mentioned to her last night. Though she had been too drained to deal with them before, his words had come back to her later on. That it was an _Angel_ that had caused Second Impact. _And…if that thing that Shinji fought that first night…if it really was the 3rd Angel, and the one that caused Second Impact was the 1st Angel, then…what about the _2nd_ Angel? Does that mean it's still running around out there somewhere, or what?_

The possibility of some rogue Angel roaming freely scaring her almost as much as the possibility of going another round with Misato's bestial self, Hikari sighed heavily…and almost jumped right of her skin when someone cried out, "Aw, man! Toji, this is so _awesome!_ I swear to you, man, you won't believe this!"

Jolted to full alertness, Hikari looked about, only to grumble in pure disgust when Kensuke Aida made his way into the class, waving newspapers and his laptop about and grinning like an idiot on overdrive. "Hey, Ken, what the heck took you?" Toji frowned as his fellow Stooge approached. "When I got to your place, your mom said that you'd already left, but -!"

"I got up extra early this morning to check out some of the attack sites! Here, check this out!" Not waiting for an invitation, Kensuke set down his laptop and opened it up. Within seconds, a series of pictures appeared, and though Hikari didn't have a good view of them, she could still make out what looked like upturned cars and shattered buildings. "That thing from before, that monster? It showed up again!"

"I know about _that,_ Ken!" Toji retorted gruffly. "Heck, everyone in the city knows about that!" Then he gave a wry smile and added, "Everyone but the class rep, that is!"

Wishing she had the energy to make a suitably cutting comeback, Hikari instead sat there and watched as Kensuke grinned even more. "Yeah, well, I bet you don't know about this part!" he declared, unfolding one of the newspapers in his hand. "That monster? It's a _woman!"_

This succeeded in getting Toji's attention. "Wha -?" he got out before Kensuke shoved the newspaper in his face. Narrowing his eyes sharply, the jock frowned and studied the headlines. "Savage Destroyer Returns!" he read. Then he raised his eyebrows and added, "Hulking Monster Revealed to be a She-Hulk!"

"What?" Hikari gasped, craning her neck to get a better look at the paper. Aware that other students were getting up to do the same, she scanned the front page. There she saw the headlines mentioned, as well as a grainy picture of Misato's transformed self marching through what looked like a grocery store. Because of the angle and lackluster quality of the image, there was no danger of anyone being able to determine that the creature and Misato was the same person. However, it did provide a spectacular view of the creature's bare body.

"Aw, damn! Will you get a load of those gazongas!" a boy cried out in astonishment.

"Wait a minute! Is this even legal?" a girl protested irritably. "I thought there were laws against nudity in newspapers!"

"Would you look at the size of that thing?" someone else commented. "I wouldn't want to run into _her _in a dark alley!"

"_I _would!" crowed another boy in a voice rife with hormones.

"Where the heck did they get this shot?" Toji wondered incredulously.

"They got it from security footage taken from that grocery! You know, when she first showed up? The police just released it!" Kensuke drooled. "And get this! I heard that NERV _and _Spirit got into this huge fight with this thing!"

Wincing at this, Hikari watched as Toji set aside the paper. "Spirit? Wait, you're saying she mixed it up with She-Hulk thing?"

"Aw, yeah! I hear she really took a beating, too!" Kensuke went on with increasing excitement. "NERV's going to be holding a press release, and I hear they've even got footage of the battle!"

"For real?" one of the other students cried out.

"Oh, wow! Two superbabes duking it out?" another boy declared. "Now _that _I've got to see!"

Watching helplessly as the excitement of her fellow students grew exponentially, Hikari groaned in dismay. Painfully aware that, by the time she got home that evening, not only would she have had to deal with everyone talking about her battle with She-Hulk like it was the hottest movie in town, but she would have to deal with Kodama and Nozomi asking a lot of pointed questions that she didn't _really _didn't want to have to try and answer.

_Why did I even bother coming in today?_ Hikari asked herself woefully as she buried her face in her arms.

* * *

It was early afternoon as Misato once again looked out the window in her room, the only portal she now had to the outside world. And though that world consisted solely of the artificial colony known as the Geofront, it was better than staring at the padded walls of her room, her prison.

_I hate this,_ Misato thought mournfully as she thought of the hours she had already spent within her prison. Hours in which she had slept on and off, had exhausted what tears were left to her, and eaten a feeble, tasteless lunch with no alcoholic refreshment. And had done all these things utterly, completely alone, trapped behind walls so much like the ones she had spent three years surrounded by, as she strove to reconstruct her own mind after the devastation wreaked on her by Second Impact. _I…I can't believe this happening. That Adam…and that monster…that they're _inside_ of me!_

These were the thoughts that ran through Misato's mind as she looked at the ceiling, thinking of Shinji, Asuka, of the life she had been building…and that the creature lurking inside of her had taken away. _Another reason to hate the Angels, _she thought bitterly, her features contorting with grief and despair. _What, it wasn't enough they took away my family and life once before? Now Adam's putting the screws on me from inside my body, just to get the rest?_

There was no answer to her silent questions. Only a deeper, more hateful silence. "I hate them," Misato hissed aloud, just for the sake of hearing her own voice, of piercing that silence. "I hate them. I hate them. I hate them all…"

Misato didn't know how long she lay there, spitting into the darkness of her own self-pitying. All she knew was, as she lay there, she heard someone knocking on the door. "Huh?" she got out, looking at the door like it was an alien artifact. "Who…who is it?"

"Rei Ayanami," came the voice of the albino girl. "May I come in, Major Katsuragi?"

"Oh…of course," Misato got out, knotting her brows in confusion as she sat up. The door then opened, allowing the 1st Child to enter. "Hello, Rei," she murmured as the Section 2 agents beyond the door closed it behind her visitor. "I…wasn't expecting you," she got out clumsily. "So…what brings you here?"

"Commander Ikari has ordered me to remain here on standby," Rei explained, her tone carefully measured. "In the event you were to become She-Hulk again, and were to manage to escape this room."

"She-Hulk?" Misato asked blankly, narrowing an eye at the blue-haired girl.

"That is the designation that has been given to your…other self," Rei explained. "I understand that Lieutenant Hyuga was the one who came up with this name."

"Huh. He would," Misato smiled with weary affection…even as she felt something inside of her nebulously taking hold of that name, even seeming to welcome it. "I see. So…you're here to make sure that I…don't cause any more trouble."

Rei nodded. "That is correct. My orders are to restrain you in the event you attempt to escape. By…any means necessary."

"I understand," Misato answered, honestly grateful for this precaution. "That's a good idea. But…I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Nor I," Rei intoned, genuine emotion flickering behind her eyes. "I would…sadden me to have to fight you."

"Same here," Misato responded, her mind already conjuring up an image of a battle between her monstrous other and Unit 00. A battle she feared would not end well for the 1st Child.

"Aw, damn," Misato groaned, shuddering at the thought. That she was now a viable, _physical _threat to the Children she wanted to keep safe. "I still can't believe this is happening…"

"Such events _do_ happen, nevertheless," Rei noted somberly. "Major Katsuragi, I…I have to return to my station. However, before I go…there is one other thing I wish to say."

"What is it?" Misato wondered, cocking her head at the albino.

"That…I'm sorry for what has happened to you," Rei answered, showing more emotion in that sentence than Misato had ever heard her display. "More than you may realize."

Misato's initial response to this statement was surprise. The fact that Rei had come there of her own will was astonishing in and of itself, but that she would feel the need to apologize for her predicament left the purple-haired woman dumbstruck. "I…uh…" Misato struggled to get out. Pausing to wonder if her confinement had negatively impacted her sanity, she sighed before forcing a tired smile for her unlikely visitor. "Thanks, Rei, but…it's not like you could have done anything to stop it."

Rei didn't say anything to this at first. Instead, she lowered her eyes, something almost sad lurking behind them. "Perhaps," Rei answered cryptically. "I hope…you recover soon."

"So do I, Rei," Misato nodded. "So do I."

Moments passed awkwardly before Rei spoke again. "May…I go now?"

Nodding, Misato answered, "Of course. Oh, and Rei?"

"Yes?" Rei spoke, narrowing her eyes somewhat.

"Thanks," Misato smiled weakly. "Thanks for…you know. Caring."

Blinking, Rei frowned slightly, averting her eyes before turning away. "You…are welcome," was all she said before knocking on the door. "You may let me out now."

As Misato watched the door open just long enough for Rei to disappear through it, she turned her gaze towards the cart with the laptop that had been left with her. Frowning, she rolled it next to her bed and began typing away at the keyboard. Before long, she was once again observing the recording of She-Hulk's battle with Spirit and Section 2.

"Know thy enemy and know thyself," the Major muttered as She-Hulk roared in triumph. When the creature looked directly at the camera, Misato paused the video, narrowing her eyes as she looked into the emerald orbs of her inner monster. "I think it's time to get to know you."

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Kaji!" Asuka grinned as she got out of the car.

"Well, it's seems like the least I can do for you two," Kaji responded, shrugging helplessly as Shinji also got out, carrying PenPen to the elevator. As Asuka followed, the unshaven man stuck his head out the window. "Now, remember, if you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?"

"I will! Bye-bye!" Asuka called out as Shinji got on the elevator. Looking in disbelief at the cheerful, carefree attitudes displayed by the German and Kaji.

_I don't believe this. Have they already forgotten what happened to Misato?_ Shinji wondered as he set PenPen down to stand next to him. Watching as Kaji drove off, he stood there, holding the 'open' button. "Uh, Asuka…?"

"Hmm? Oh, right, right," Asuka muttered in response. Watching Kaji even as he disappeared from view, she then turned and marched up to the elevator. As soon as she inside, Shinji pressed the button for their floor, closing the doors and sending them upwards. "Ah, Kaji is just _such _a gentleman!"

"Oh…yeah, I guess," Shinji muttered, not really caring about the unshaven man or Asuka's blatant crush on him. Not really caring about anything about the person that had been stolen from his life.

As the elevator rose up to their floor, Asuka frowned at her fellow pilot. "Hey, c'mon, Third! What's up with you?"

"Asuka…aren't you worried?" Shinji wondered even as Pen Pen looked at her. "About Misato?"

"What's to worry about?" Asuka returned, not a whiff of concern in her voice. "Akagi's gonna cure her, so everything's going to be alright!"

"Then…you're not worried about her? At all?" Shinji muttered unhappily. "You don't care about what's happened to her?"

"Hey! It's not that I don't care, okay?" Asuka bristled, her cheery smile forgotten as she glared at Shinji. "But what am I supposed to do, put my life on hold every time something bad happens to somebody else?" Snorting loudly as she folded her arms across her chest, the German turned away, only to glare at her fellow pilot out of the corner of her eyes. "Seriously! It's not like there's anything we can do for her, so what's the point of getting all worked up?"

"Uh…oh," Shinji frowned, not sure of how to take this statement. After a moment's reflection, he supposed Asuka did have a point. The burden of actually curing Misato currently rested on Ritsuko and the rest of her staff. Shinji was no scientist, wouldn't even know how the mutation worked, let alone how to cure. "Well…maybe…" he finally muttered. "But…I still feel like I should do…something…"

Asuka continued to glare at him, a glare that softened somewhat as she grumbled, "Yeah, well, if you manage to think of something you _can_ do to help, feel free to do it." The elevator dinged just then, opening up to their floor. "But right now, all I want to do is go inside, and get something to eat!"

As the German marched towards their apartment, muttering in German, Shinji paused just outside of the elevator, another thought occurring him. "Uh…Asuka?"

Groaning irritably as she came to a stop, Asuka turned about and planted her hands squarely on her hips. "Yeah, what is it _now?_"

"I was just thinking of something," Shinji began carefully, knowing that he would get nowhere if he annoyed the German too much. "Jet Alone. You know, how it went out of control?" Asuka gave an impatient nod to that. "Well…that was…an accident, right?"

"Well, yeah. That's what I heard, anyway." Rolling her head to the side, Asuka narrowed an eye before saying, "Anyway, I wasn't even here when that happened, remember?"

"Yeah, I know that," Shinji acknowledged. "But…anyway…what if it wasn't? An accident, I mean." Pausing to clear his throat, he shifted about on his feet before asking, "What if…somebody _wanted_ Jet Alone to fail, and…?"

"What are you getting, at Third?" Asuka gathered with a raised eyebrow. A beat passed, and the German pulled back a bit, her eyes narrowing further. "Wait…are you saying that…you think somebody actually _sabotaged_ that ridiculous piece of junk? Who'd want to do that?"

"I…don't know," Shinji trailed off lamely. "I was just…thinking, that's all."

"Yeah, well, your thinking is crazy. Jet Alone _sabotaged?" _Asuka declared, turning about with a flourish of her hair as she started towards their apartment again. "C'mon, baka! Who'd want to do something like that?"

As Asuka continued towards their home, Shinji sighed and looked down at his own feet. _That's what I've been asking myself, _he thought unhappily. Ever since Misato had confided in Shinji back in the alley, that question had been gnawing at him. And though it had been set aside for a time during She-Hulk's rampage of destruction, it had never been truly forgotten. Instead, it had eaten at him, forcing him to examine it again during his time at NERV, forcing him to ask that question again and again, searching for an answer. Examining it from every angle. Trying to figure out who would benefit from Jet Alone's failure. And no matter how he looked at it, no matter how he approached that question…he kept getting the same answer.

As that answer again burned in his mind, Shinji looked out over the guardrail, in the direction of the entrance to the Geofront, and scowled. _Father…if you hurt Misato again…I'll never forgive you. Ever._

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, the aftermath is now done. Poor Misato. Please, read and review. And check out my other stories, please!

Now, I know I kind of went overboard with Misato's reign of destruction, but the fact is, having Section 2 just pick her up after Chapter 5 and leaving Gendo free do to whatever he wanted with her just seemed rather…anti-climactic to me. Besides, I was having a _lot_ of fun, having a She-Hulk Misato running around naked, smashing everything in sight! (Come on, you can't tell me that I'm the only who thinks that's cool!) Also, and I hate to admit it, things are going to be a bit slow until the 10th Angel shows up. And boy, do I have plans for it!

Anyway, enough of this serious stuff! Time for some omakes!

Omake 1

"So…I thought she was an Angel?" Misato asked, even more hope creeping into her voice. When Fuyutsuki nodded, the Major frowned, the wheels turning in her mind. "Wait a minute…are you telling me that Gendo _wanted me to kill Spirit?"_

"I'm…afraid so," Fuyutsuki replied, even as Shinji frowned scornfully. "He felt that, given the trouble Spirit has given us in the past…" The older man never got the chance to finish his sentence, for before his eyes, the despair and shame in Misato's face transformed into rage and hatred. The Major immediately stood from her bed, and with a spark of green in her eyes, shoved Ritsuko out of her way and started towards the door.

"Misato, what are you doing?" Shinji asked as the Major tried to open the door.

"I'm going to smash that bastard's goddamned evil head in!" Misato snarled, trying to force the door open.

Blanching at the image, Ritsuko went up to Misato's side and forced the Major to look at her. "Misato, wait! Please, you don't want to do that!"

"_Oh, yes I do!"_ Misato declared with zeal. "That bastard tried to turn me into a _murderer!_ And if he wants that so badly, I feel I might as well give him _exactly_ what he wants!"

"But, Misato! You…you can't!" Shinji protested.

"Why not? My life is over, anyway!" Misato shrilled incredulously. "If I'm going down, then I'm taking Gendo with me!"

"But, Misato -!" Ritsuko started, only to look back in surprise when Fuyutsuki placed his hand upon her shoulder.

"Wait, Dr. Akagi," the older man hissed, watching as Misato grunted and growled, trying to force the door open. "I have an idea…"

* * *

"She-Hulk SMASH!" came a monstrous roar from Gendo's office, the doors of which had been torn apart.

_"Arrrgh! Help meeee!"_ Gendo's own voice squealed from within, just before brutal sounds of violence were heard from within.

"Good idea!" Ritsuko purred, watching from a safe distance as the She-Hulk twisted the Commander of NERV into a pretzel. "You know, you're right! We can always tell Misato about curing her _after_ she's done!"

"Precisely," Fuyutsuki nodded, smiling with deep satisfaction as his former student got what was coming to him. "After all, chances like this don't come along every day."

"I'll say!" Asuka grinned merrily at the show before her.

"So…" Shinji added, delighting in watching Misato at work. "Who's got popcorn?"

Omake 2

"I don't believe this _schisse!"_ Asuka snarled as she marched into the kitchen, a newspaper clenched in her fist.

Wincing at the irate German's arrival, Shinji responded, "Look, I'm sorry, Asuka, but I already told you that the maintenance team couldn't get here today! So we're just gonna have to wait until the windows get fixed, and…"

"I'm not mad about that!" Asuka sneered. Then she frowned and shrugged, "Well, okay, I _am,_ but that's not what I'm talking about right now!"

"Oh." Frowning somewhat, Shinji asked, "Well…what's the problem, then?"

"The problem is _this!"_ Asuka snarled, slamming the newspaper down on the table. "It's not bad enough that Makoto decided to name that green freak She-Hulk, or that he's got people at NERV calling her that! No, now the _press_ has gotten onboard and are calling her that as well!"

"Huh?" Shinji squawked, his confusion mounting as he looked down at the newspaper. "Hulking Monster Revealed to be a…" His mouth falling open as he held up the paper and gave the headline a closer look. "But…wait, how did they start calling her She-Hulk, too?"

"How the hell should _I _know?" Asuka grumbled. "Obviously, the local newspapers are being run by the same kind of loser dorks as Makoto! How else could they come up with such a stupid name?"

* * *

"Alright, cool!" Makoto grinned as he lounged about at his desk at home, scrutinizing the various headlines and news stories online. "Looks we pulled it off, buddy! She-Hulk is now the official name of Tokyo-3's newest superwoman!"

"Or super-_monster,_ depending on who you're talking to," his contact at the _Japan Today!_ replied easily.

"Trust me when I say she's a superwoman, okay?" Makoto retorted.

"Whatever you say, buddy. Me, I don't care what she is as long as she sells newspapers!" his contact told him.

Not doubting that for an instant, Makoto sat back and asked, "Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to get your editor to use the name She-Hulk, anyway?"

"You make it sound like it was tough," his contact chuckled. "My editor didn't care what we called this thing, just long as it was big and tough-sounding, but made it clear that we were dealing with a female monster. And with all the papers and news shows calling her a hulking monster…"

"Right, gotcha," Makoto nodded. "So, anyway, now that you're done scratching my back, I'm guessing I have to scratch yours in return, right?"

"Got it in one, buddy," his contact chuckled knowingly. "So you slip me the inside scoop on some of NERV's operations, and maybe a little extra about this She-Hulk of yours, and we'll call it even."

Wishing that She-Hulk _was _his, every gorgeous green square inch of her, Makoto answered, "Not a problem. I'll send it to the usual spot. That work for you?"

"Sounds like a plan," his contact agreed. "Guess I'll be seeing you around, Hyuga."

"Will do," Makoto replied before hanging up. "Damn, this is cool! Just wait until all my online buddies find out about this! Forget naming a star! Just how many guys get to name an actual, flesh-and-blood superwoman, huh?"

Omake 3

"Thanks for the ride, Kaji!" Asuka grinned as she got out of the car.

"Well, it's seems like the least I can do for you two," Kaji responded, shrugging helplessly as Shinji also got out, carrying PenPen to the elevator. As Asuka followed, the unshaven man stuck his head out the window. "Now, remember, if you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?"

"Well," Asuka purred, rubbing her chin in deep thought. "Now that you mention it…I just bought this new little toy of mine, and…I'd like some help in trying it out?"

"Oh?" Kaji asked with a raised eyebrow. "And what kind of toy is it?"

* * *

"Um, Asuka…?" Kaji grimaced as he hung from the ceiling of Asuka's room, stripped down to his boxers as the German girl approached his, clad in dark leather and wielding a cattle prod.

"Relax, Kaji-kun. Just sit back, and enjoy the show…" the German grinned viciously. Asuka then burst into flames, flames that quickly reduced her to a bare skeleton!

"What the hell?" Kaji gasped in horror as the flames that devoured Asuka's body turned into new flesh, and huge horns sprouted from her skull.

"Now…I'm going to show you why I'm called the Red Devil!" the Ghost Rider roared, flames spewing from her mouth as she slapped the cattle prod against the palm of her hand. "And why Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!"

It was said that all of Tokyo-3 could hearing Kaji screaming that day. Including Shinji and PenPen, despite the fact that both were hiding beneath Misato's bed, with several pillows covering their heads.


	9. Trials and Transitions

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 9: Trials and Transitions

As the darkness of the room he was in was replaced with light, Shinji found his eyes filled with purple. After a moments time, he let out a yelp of shock before jumping back, taking in the full view of what he was seeing. "It's…a face!" Shinji finally realized as he took in the details of the horned aberration before him. All he could really see of it was the head, however; the rest of the body was obscured by some kind of reddish-purple fluid. "A giant robot!"

Staggered with confusion, Shinji began leafing though the manual that had been handed him by Misato upon their arrival at the vast, underground complex they were in. "You won't find this in there," Ritsuko assured him in a cool manner. As Shinji regarded her in surprise, the doctor continued. "This is humanity's ultimate weapon; the synthetic life form known as Evangelion Unit 01."

"Is this…what my father has been working on?" Shinji wondered blankly as he stared at the monstrous bio-mech.

"Correct!" came an all-too familiar voice. As Shinji looked up, he saw his father staring down upon him, a cold expression marking his features. "It's been some time."

Staggered by the appearance of his only remaining family, Shinji slowly muttered, "Father…"

As Shinji finally looked away, Gendo hissed. "We're moving out."

"Moving out? But Unit 00's still in cryo-stasis!" Misato cried out in protest, just before she looked at the purple behemoth in realization. "Wait! You're going to use…Unit 01?"

"There's no other way," Ritsuko spoke coldly.

"Hold on! Rei's still injured! There's no way she can do it! And we don't have any other pilots!" Misato countered, clenching her fists.

Ritsuko simply narrowed her eyes at this. "We just received one."

As this sank in, Misato's features hardened with barely concealed rage. "You're serious."

Turning her eyes towards Shinji, Ritsuko started, "Shinji Ikari." As the boy jumped and looked into her eyes, he found himself greeted by a visage that was unimaginably cold. "You will pilot Unit 01."

"But even Rei took months to synch with her Eva!" Misato countered, Shinji dully aware that this person he didn't even know was trying to protect him. "You're asking him for the impossible!"

"All he has to do is sit in the seat. We aren't expecting anything more than that," Ritsuko countered coldly.

"But -!" Misato tried again.

"Defeating that Angel is our ultimate priority. If we have someone who can synch with an Eva, we have to make the attempt," Ritsuko explained, acting like Misato was just a child. Completely beneath her. "You _do _understand that, _Captain_ Katsuragi?"

For a time, Misato was silent, her brown eyes turbulent with unspent emotion. "Yes, ma'am," she finally got out, her words heavy with animosity. Animosity that was broken when she heard someone laughing.

The laugh was light in volume, but heavy with bitterness, cynicism, and hatred. As Misato looked about, she saw that Shinji was the source of the laughter. "So…is this the reason you sent for me?" he asked, barely looking at his father. "You want me…to take this thing…and fight?"

"Correct," Gendo replied, no emotion at all in his voice. "I brought you here because I have a use for you. Nothing more."

As Gendo looked down at his son, Shinji simply laughed even more. "I should have known. You never have any feelings for anyone, even me. Only…uses," the boy retorted harshly, looking up to glare at his father with ill-disguised hatred. "All right, Father…I'll fight that thing. But I won't use your creation to do it. I don't need it."

"Don't need it?" Ritsuko blared, staring in shock of the tiny boy. "What are you saying? It's _impossible_ to fight an Angel without an Eva!"

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Shinji gritted, turning to look hatefully at the faux-blonde. "But I you see, you don't to pilot a monster to fight…when you already _are_ one!" Before Ritsuko couldn't wonder what Shinji meant by that, green exploded in his cobalt blue eyes, green that soon spread through his veins.

_"What the Hell?"_ Ritsuko screeched as muscles suddenly erupted from Shinji's from small body, his shirt being torn apart as the boy reached out and grabbed the doctor by her head.

"Using people…that's what people like you do, isn't it?" Shinji roared hatefully as the rage held within him continued to transform him. "Well, here's what _I_ think of that!" Without the slightest qualm or sign of hesitation, Shinji tightened his grasp. Ritsuko let out one pained shriek…and was silent.

Tossing the woman aside, Shinji leapt up into the air, and landed before his father. As Gendo stepped backwards, looking up in fear at what had once been his son, the green beast took hold of his neck, and brought him closer. Close enough to look him right in the eyes for the last time. "Yes, Father, I'll fight the Angels…but you won't be around to use me any longer!"

"No! _No! Noooo!"_ Gendo screamed Shinji applied ever greater amounts of pressure…

* * *

_"No!"_ Shinji cried out, shooting up from his bed, sweat coursing down his body in waves. His chest heaving with each desperate breath he took, the boy looked wildly at his room, at the few familiar things he had in there. Fear and confusion radiating from him, Shinji looked down at his own hands. His normal, _human_ hands, and finally out a deep sigh of relief.

"A dream…not real," was all he said. All he _could_ say as he tried to banish the images from his mind. Images of senseless slaughter. Images of mindless hatred and rage made flesh. Images of…

_Father,_ Shinji thought, an edge of the bitterness he had experienced in the dream returning, turning the corners of his mouth down. _You brought me here…because you had a use for me. _Still shaking as he turned and let his legs flop down over the side of his bed, he leaned forward and clasped his hands together._ And now…you have a use for Misato._

As Shinji's heart continued to pound furiously in his chest, the boy got to his feet, knowing that further attempts to sleep would be futile. His body and mind alike were trembling with fear and rage and a thousand other subtle shades of emotion. Too much emotion for him to be able to deal with. Instead, he made his way to the kitchen, hoping for something to calm his nerves.

Moving silently to avoid disturbing either of his housemates, Shinji prepared a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. As he sat at the dining table, he sighed heavily, studied his snack for a moment before finding his gaze drawn to Misato's bedroom. A room that was empty, and would remain empty for some time. Perhaps forever. Because of Adam. Because of Jet Alone. Because of…

_Father…_ Shinji thought again, another bit of rage finding its way into his stomach, where it proceeded to burn. For ten years, he had essentially been alone, had felt nothing but pain and loneliness, until the day some stranger had taken him into her home…and made him feel wanted. Let him know that there was someone who wanted to be a part of his life.

Though he had never seen Misato like a mother, he knew that she was more than his friend. She had been everything to him, given him every chance she could, despite her own duties at NERV. And now, she was trapped in NERV headquarters, a specimen to study for Gendo's own uses. Trapped alone, with nothing but her tears…and the beast within. And though he had visited her in the past two days as he had promised her, doing his best to bring her comfort, he could see the toll her isolation was taking on her. Her smile a little more forced, her pain that much harder to conceal with each passing day.

"Misato…you knew it was Father all along…didn't you?" Shinji murmured as he lowered his eyes once more. "Why didn't you tell me before? Was it because you couldn't prove it, or…were you afraid…that it would hurt me?" Taking a bite out of a cookie and forcing himself to chew, Shinji frowned as he took a quick sip of his milk, even as tears began rolling down his face. "I don't know how, Misato, but…I'll help you. I'll prove what Father has done. I'll…I'll…"

His voice breaking down entirely, Shinji began to cry in earnest. As hi misery spilled down on the table, his thoughts went back to the nightmare, of his becoming a beast like that which dwelled in Misato. He thought of the frenzied anger he had displayed, and realized that, as much as the dream had been an illusion drawn from his past…the emotions that had fueled it had been real.

Horribly, terribly _real…_

* * *

As breakfast sizzled nicely on the stove one morning, Hikari Horaki kept one eye on it and another on her father, who was straying into the kitchen for his morning coffee. "Good morning, Hikari," Tanaka Horaki muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he approached her. "Oh, please tell me that there's more coffee lying around here. After last night, I get the feeling I'm going to need more than just the one pot."

"Don't worry, Daddy. I've got two more cans tucked away in the cupboard," Hikari responded as she handed him his cup of get-up-and-go. Immediately downing a mouthful without even waiting for his cream and sugar, the Horaki matriarch shook her head sympathetically. "Still having a rough time at work?"

"Hmph. That's one way of putting it," Tanaka responded as he took his seat in the dining room, joining the other members of the Horaki family. "Dr. Akagi's got us working on this big project, and it's turning out to be a real killer.

"Really? What kind of project?" Nozomi piped up, bubbling with youthful curiosity.

"Well, we're putting together a new research lab, as well as a lot of testing equipment and sensory gear down in NERV. It's not all that big, but man! Akagi's got two whole tech teams pulling double shifts to get everything done as fast as she can! Then there're all the shipments of new equipment and what-not they've got coming in there, and…" Groaning in dismay, as if simply discussing his labors was tiring for him, Tanaka pressed his hand against his temple. "Ugh…a full night's sleep, and my back is _still _killing me…"

"Whew. Whatever it is they've got you working on, it must be really important," Kodama noted, taking a deeper interest in the conversation. "So…what is this new lab for?"

As Hikari looked over her shoulder, she smiled as her older sister and her father looked at each other, the looks on their faces open books to her. Kodama was instantly curious about anything scientific, and the sudden need for a new lab was doubly intriguing to her. As for Tanaka, he visibly hesitated, trying to keep his face straight as he tried to resist the temptation to tell his daughters about his work, even though so much of NERV was top secret that it bordered on the ludicrous. "Well," he hemmed and hawed for a few moments, which lasted as long as it took for Kodama to employ her ultimate weapon. Leaning forward and scrunching up her shoulders to look as tiny and adorable as she could, she then flashed her puppy dog eyes. "Okay, okay! I surrender already! You can put the look away now!" Chuckling in triumph, Kodama did as requested as Nozomi giggled. "Now, don't you start on me too, okay?"

"Sorry, Daddy!" Nozomi smirked, her continued snickering ruining her apology.

Rolling his eyes to the ceiling as if asking what he could have possibly done to deserve this, Tanaka sighed before muttering, "Oh, what the heck. With everything that's been on the news, you probably know about most of this, anyway."

"Huh?" Hikari frowned, glancing over her shoulder even as she prepared the individual servings. "What do you mean, Daddy?"

"Well, I'm sure you've already heard about…that creature that Section 2 managed to capture?" Tanaka began slowly. "That thing they're calling She-Hulk?"

Instantly freezing up and very nearly sending the entire family's breakfast plummeting to the floor in the process, Hikari recovered just in time to avoid disaster as Kodama replied, "Who _hasn't _heard about that thing? Her pictures have been in all the tabloids lately!" Turning around to look at her family, Hikari sweat-dropped upon seeing her elder sister glaring at her. "And then there's that big fight she had with Spirit…"

"Whew! You don't need to tell me about that!" Tanaka exhaled, shaking his head in seeming disbelief. "I heard some of the guys from Section 2 talking about it, and wow! I -!"

"Uh, breakfast is ready!" Hikari called out before darting to the dining table. "Here you go, Daddy! And this one's for you, Nozomi!"

"Why, thank you, darling!" Tanaka beamed, bending over to take a whiff. "Hmm, the perfect way to start the day!"

Frowning somewhat as their father started eating, Kodama started, "So, those Section 2 guys, what did -?"

"Here's your breakfast, Kodama!" Hikari announced, rushing up with her sister's serving. "Now, hurry up and eat before it gets cold, okay?"

"Uh…sure," Kodama muttered, not the slightest bit impressed by her sibling's stern demeanor. "So, anyway, what was it that those guys said?" Hikari was about to ask if her father wanted some more coffee, but as soon as she opened her mouth, her older sister glared unhappily and continued, "About that fight between this…She-Hulk and Spirit?"

"Only that, whoever or wherever Spirit is, she's lucky she's still breathing!" Tanaka commented with a touch of grim humor. "From what I understand, that thing really tore her up, tore off her wings, and…" Pausing in his narrative, he glanced over at Nozomi, and took note of the sickly green that was coloring her face. "Well, anyway, she took a pretty bad beating," he shrugged, bypassing the graphic details and completely missing the look of low horror the youngest Horaki sent Hikari's way.

Her insides twisting, Hikari realized that her father had just put her in a bad position. When Kodama and Nozomi had pressed her for details regarding that battle, she had done her best to downplay the beating she had taken, saying only that she had done her best to keep out of the creature's grasp and had taken just enough of a beating to account for her ruined costume. Clearing her throat as she found herself the subject of her siblings' looks, all too aware that she had some more explaining to do, Hikari forced herself to look at her father. "So, uh…what about the…the creature? What is NERV doing with it – I mean, her? And…what does she have to do with this new lab?"

Pausing to take a bite of his breakfast, Tanaka responded, "Well, as you've probably heard, this creature…she used to be human. That she was infected by the last Angel, and that's what turned her into…into this thing?" When the sisters nodded, he gave a weary sigh, "Well, Dr. Akagi and her people are going to be working on finding a cure for her. To change her back to the way she was before."

"Really?" Hikari got out, somewhat concerned. While she knew that the Angelic infection angle was likely a cover-up, at least in part, that NERV was apparently looking into a cure for her was a good sign. _Or at least, that's what they're saying,_ she frowned, unwilling to take such sentiments at face value.

"So…who is this creature?" Hikari broke in, frowning in concern. "Does NERV know who she…used to be?"

"I guess so, but Dr. Akagi made it clear that that information is classified," Tanaka informed them around a mouthful of his breakfast. "When somebody asked her about it, she just said that she has a better chance of being able to go back to her own life if she doesn't have to worry about the rest of the world haranguing her about what she did when she was stuck as a monster."

"Then…it's true? What they said on the news?" Kodama frowned in concern. "That this…She-Hulk or whatever you called her…she's some kind of…mindless beast?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Her mind is essentially gone, or close enough to it. That, coupled with her sheer strength, makes her a danger to herself and every one in Tokyo-3." Frowning as he took another mouthful of his breakfast, Tanaka chewed it over before speaking again. "So until we get the new laboratory and testing facility completed, Dr. Akagi and her people have to keep her in a constant state of sedation in order to keep her breaking loose."

"They're keeping her sedated?" Hikari muttered, red flags shooting up in her mind. Recalling how Shinji had said that Misato was only the creature when adrenalized, she paused to consider her next question. "Wait…does that mean that…have you actually _seen_ her, Daddy?"

To her dismay, Tanaka nodded somberly. "Yeah. Just once, though. When Dr. Akagi was briefing us on the situation, they took us to the holding facility where they're keeping the thing." A weary sighing gusting out of his lips, the Horaki patriarch sat back, seeming to go back to that moment when he was confronted with the creature. "I couldn't believe how huge that thing was. Like nothing more than eight feet of solid muscle. It was all hunched in its cage, staring at the ground. Barely even noticed we were there, and…"

When Tanaka trailed off, Kodama cocked her head to the side. "But…Dad, if this thing's so dangerous, then why is NERV taking any chances?" Kodama wondered. Pausing to glance at Nozomi, she shrugged and asked, "I mean, couldn't they just…?"

"Now, don't even _think _of that, Kodama!" Tanaka scolded her, wagging a finger in her face. "I know this She-Hulk thing must sound pretty scary, but don't forget that there's a human being trapped inside of it. A human in need of help." He then took a large bite out of his meal, not missing the unsatisfied look worn by his eldest daughter. "I wouldn't wish what happened to that poor woman on my worst enemy. And Dr. Akagi and Major Katsuragi, they looked ready to cry when -"

_"Major Katsuragi?"_ Hikari all but shrieked, her eyes ballooning out of their sockets at this. When her father looked up at her in surprise, along with her sisters, the pigtailed girl realized her fumble, gulped, and struggled to recover. "I – I mean…Misato-sama? I…I thought she was a Captain…"

The manner in which his brows furrowed making it clear that he wasn't quite buying Hikari's lame explanation, Tanaka shrugged and returned his attention to breakfast. "Well, she _was _just promoted about a week ago. I'm not surprised you haven't heard about it."

"Oh…um…I see. I'm…glad to hear that…" Hikari fumbled, trying to get on a more solid footing for what her father was telling her. "So…you saw Misato and this…She-Hulk?"

Nodding, Tanaka elaborated, "She came down to check out our progress, along with Dr. Akagi and some technicians." Exhaling sharply, he took a quick sip of his coffee before continuing. "Man, she really looked worn out. Especially when she stopped to look at the creature. I thought she was going to start crying, right then and there."

"She must feel really sorry for her," Kodama noted, once again looking at Hikari. Making it clear that she didn't buy her lame explanation, either.

'We'll discuss this later,' Hikari silently mouthed to her older sibling, feeling like her head was about to explode. Returning her attention to her father, she tried to milk him for a little more information. "So…NERV really _is _going to try and…cure her?"

Once again, Tanaka nodded. "Dr. Akagi is taking a personal hand in the research effort. And she's already arranged for an entire division to be dedicated solely to treating this creature."

"Makes sense, I guess," Kodama muttered sourly. "After all, if this could happen to one person…who's to say it can't happen to others?"

Looking between her two sisters, with an especially long look at Hikari, Nozomi turned to their father. "Do you…think it could happen to us, Daddy?"

"Oh, of course not, dear!" Tanaka answered, beaming as much confidence and reassurance as he could muster at his youngest daughter. "I promise you, nothing like that is going to happen to any of you! Dr. Akagi and the others, they're just trying to help this poor woman. It doesn't mean that something like that is going to happen to any of you."

_I really wish I could believe that,_ Hikari thought somberly, thinking of the days of fever that she had suffered through in the days before she had first transformed into the creature she had become. Frowning pensively, she studied the food before her, another problem occurring to her. _But…Misato-sama _is _She-Hulk! So…then who or what was it that Father saw?_

* * *

"A hologram?" Shinji asked, looking at Kaji in mild disbelief.

"That's right, Shinji," Kaji replied with a ready smile as Shinji set up the places at the table. Then he paused to ask, "Um, Asuka, you really don't have to hold on so tight. It's not like I'm going anywhere."

_Yeah, I know. And I want to _keep _it that way!_ Asuka thought, determined to make the most of this latest opportunity.

It had been a relatively normal day, or at least as normal as things had been since Misato had been locked up within the confined of NERV. The two of them had been working to straighten up the apartment, with Shinji cleaning up the lingering mess and Asuka supervising the repairmen that NERV had sent to there to replace the shattered windows, as well as make a few other repairs and repairs. Then as evening approached and Shinji began work on dinner, the doorbell had rung. To Asuka's considerable surprise and delight, she had found Kaji standing outside. As promised, he had come to see how they were doing, as well as report on the things happening at NERV that involved Misato and her savage other self.

"As you know, we want to keep the fact that Misato and She-Hulk are the same person under wraps. Unfortunately, those punks who attacked you _saw_ her transform, and might be able to identify her," Kaji explained in a casual fashion. "Now, they're under arrest until we can make sure they'll keep their mouths shut, but still, we have to make sure that no one knows that this thing is Misato. That means having witnesses who have seen them both, and as separate individuals. So Ritsuko arranged to put on a show for some of the people working on the new lab and the testing range. She and some of her tech-head friends cobbled together a cage with a hologram projector. Then when she showed the hologram of She-Hulk – that is, the creature," he corrected himself as Asuka once again grunted her displeasure at that ridiculous name, "to the technical crews."

Pausing to wonder what on earth had prompted the press to use the same moniker Makoto had come up with for Misato's transformed self, Asuka asked, "So, what did they do then? Did they have a holographic Misato show up and look in on the thing?"

"Nope. Ritsuko decided it would be better to have the real Katsuragi come down for an inspection and a status report, instead of a stand-in," Kaji joked casually. "She thought that an interactive Major that people could touch and that could hold reports and what-not would be more –"

"What?" Asuka squawked. When the unshaven man frowned at her, she sputtered for a moment before crying out, "Kaji, are you kidding me? You mean they actually let her out of her room?"

Whirling about at this, Shinji fixed an appalled look at her. "Wh-what's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with that? Third, have you lost it?" Asuka shot back. "Don't you remember what happened here? All it would take is for her to trip on something or bang into a wall or something, and then big, green, and gruesome shows up and turns NERV into a smoldering crater!"

"No, she wouldn't!" Shinji retorted defiantly. "She wouldn't just…I mean, now that she knows…"

"Hey, Shinji, relax!" Kaji smiled as the boy's voice sputtered and failed him. "Personally, I'm with you. Now that Katsuragi knows what's up, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't go ahead and lose her temper after stubbing her toe or something like that." Then he looked down at Asuka and added, "And just so you know, she had an escort of Section 2's finest disguised as technicians when she came down for the big tour. Just to be on the safe side."

As Asuka was preparing to say that Section 2's finest was only slightly less worthless than the rest of them, Shinji asked, "And…if something _had _happened…what would they have done?"

"They would have shot her. With a tranquilizer dart, that is," Kaji added, noticing the way Shinji's eyes bulged at first. "It was only a precautionary measure, of course. I know Katsuragi has a temper, but like you, I'm inclined to believe that she'll do her best to keep it in check. Now that she knows…"

As Kaji trailed off, the silence that followed spoke volumes, and those volumes had Shinji nodding in agreement. The silence continued until the timer on the stove buzzed, sending him whirling about. "Oh! Dinner's ready!" he cried out on impulse. Opening the stove, he then pulled out the lasagna that was now sending out wonderfully refreshing aromas throughout the apartment. "Uh…sorry, Kaji. I…"

"No, that's okay. The two of you have to eat, after all," Kaji smiled, holding up his hand in understanding. "And for that matter, so do I. So, if you two will excuse me…"

"Uh, what's the rush, Kaji-kun?" Asuka wondered, caught between remaining casual and making sure that her crush stayed for as long as possible. "You only just got here, right? And besides, the Third made plenty for all of us." Then she narrowed her eyes, and putting just a touch of menace in her voice, she asked, "Didn't you, Third?"

"Hmm?" Shinji started, not quite picking up on her tone. Then he jolted upright, looked at the pan of cooling lasagna, and shrugged. "Well…sure. Yeah."

"Well, that's real thoughtful of you, but I really don't want to keep you up late or anything," Kaji responded easily even as Asuka moved him over to the table. "Besides, I just wanted to make sure that everything was alright, and that you had the cover story memorized and everything. After all, tomorrow _is _your first day back at school, and…"

"You don't have to worry about that!" Asuka replied dismissively, determined not to let this chance slip away. "It's not like we need anyone to see us off or make our lunches or any of that! We've got everything under control." Then she squeezed his arm a bit more tightly and added, "And anyway, it's not like we get to see you that often, Kaji-kun! So why don't you just sit back, relax…"

Pressing his lips into a thoughtful frown, Kaji cocked his head to the side for a time before saying, "Well…okay. I guess it can't hurt." As Asuka grinned triumphantly, a mental version of herself throwing up her arms in triumph, her crush continued, "And besides, I would like to know what's been going on with you. And how Katsuragi's doing, of course."

Wincing as a pin was stuck in her balloon, Asuka frowned as Shinji asked, "Huh? Y-you mean…you still haven't seen her?"

"Unfortunately, no," Kaji replied with a hapless shrug. Slipping free of Asuka's numbed grasp, he seated himself at the table. "Ritsy-poo is keeping the visitors to a minimum, at least until Katsuragi's new quarters are complete. As she told me, she doesn't want her dealing with anyone that might set her off, a list which unfortunately includes yours truly."

Fuming at this setback, Asuka forced herself to remember that it had only been a few days since Misato had been locked away. That she and Kaji did in fact have a substantial history, having been an item back in college and that the German simply couldn't expect for him to forget it in such a short period of time. But despite this, she couldn't help but bristle over the fact that he still hadn't realized that she was an exquisite young lady, not some little kid, or that Misato was a drunken slut who acted like she belonged in kindergarten, not the woman of Kaji's dreams.

Suppressing a loud snort and telling herself that she had time, that the cards were in her favor, Asuka forced herself to speak in the sweetest manner she knew. "Okay, sure," she got out before focusing on the resident chef. "Hey, Third! Why don't you serve dinner? You know, before it gets cold?"

"Huh? Oh…right," Shinji replied. Sighing heavily, he turned to the counter, and began serving dinner. Occasionally glancing over his shoulder at the chair where Misato had always taken for herself, he finally finished his preparations, and began serving them a full meal. "Here you go, Kaji."

"Why, thank you," Kaji answered. Instead of diving right in, he continued to look at the forlorn boy. "So…how _is _Katsuragi holding up?"

"Uh…not so good," Shinji muttered lowly, seeming to sink beneath his own words. He went on to give an abbreviated account of his two visits to Misato, along with his observations as to how she was doing.

"Well, I have to admit, that's pretty much what I expected," Kaji muttered, shaking his head slowly as Shinji presented Asuka with her dinner. "Katsuragi never did like being all by herself. And with this thing in her…" The 3rd Child nodded unhappily at this, looking as if a thundercloud was going to manifest over his head and rain down even further gloom and doom upon him. "Now, c'mon, Shinji. We've been over this before." Looking up at this, he frowned somewhat as Kaji once again smiled in the face of despair. "Ritsuko isn't NERV's top scientist for nothing. She'll find a way to cure Misato, and she'll be back home before you know it."

Heaving a tired sigh, Shinji shook his head before seating himself. "I hope so…"

Asuka glared at the only possible rival she had for the status of top pilot, deeply considering saying something truly cutting in regards to his preference for being a spineless wimp, but ultimately decided against it. She didn't want to do anything that might spoil her image as an adult woman before Kaji, and while she still didn't like thinking about it, she could understand what it was like to watch someone precious to you deteriorate before your very eyes, leaving you powerless to do anything about.

_But…no, this isn't the same!_ she shuddered, trying desperately to drive such thoughts from her mind. Trying not to think about how she had refused to go with Shinji to visit Misato, simply because of the memories it brought back for her. _Besides, it's not going to do me or anyone else any good to sit around, moaning about it! Akagi will cure her, or she won't! And that's all there is to it!_

Taking this thought and hammering it solidly into her mind, Asuka sat back and began to enjoy her evening repast. She didn't taste the first few bites, but as she continued to eat, she looked up at Kaji, and was delighted to find he was smiling at her. Slowly, she was able to relax more, savoring the taste of a familiar food, something better and richer than the accursed things the Japanese ate. And as the evening progressed, she found that she was able to distance herself from the moment, and embrace her own fanciful interpretation of this setting. In place of the apartment, she envisioned a lavish restaurant, the perfect place for a romantic dinner for two. Shinji became the waiter, who was only there to facilitate the perfect evening between her and Kaji. The two of them were dressed in their finest clothes, thinking of nothing but their meal and each other. Sweet, romantic music filled the air, perfect to dance to, and…

"Uh, Kaji…?" Shinji piped up, shattering the wonderful dream just as it got to the part where Kaji took Asuka in her arms and carefully slipped her dress off. "I, uh…there's something I wanted to…ask you."

Glaring daggers at her fellow pilot for being so rude to ruin such a wonderful moment for her, Asuka barely noticed when Kaji replied, "Well, sure. What is it?"

Looking intensely at the unshaven man, Shinji hesitated for a moment before asking, "What do you know about Jet Alone? You know…about what happened to it that day?"

Taken aback by this, Kaji stared at Shinji for a time before speaking. "Well, _that_ sure came from out of nowhere," he remarked before forking more lasagna into his mouth. "About what everyone else knows about it, I guess. Why?"

"Well, it's just…what if it wasn't an accident?" Shinji wondered, his features hardening as he spoke. "I mean, what if didn't just malfunction? And somebody…"

"Aw, _Gott!_ Not this _again!"_ Rolling her eyes in disbelief, Asuka stood from her seat and glared down at her fellow Child. "Give it a rest, baka! I'm sick and tired of your stupid conspiracy theories already!"

"Whoa, whoa! What's _this _all about?" Realizing that she had just blown her womanly demeanor, Asuka looked to see Kaji looking rapidly back and forth between the two of them. "What are you two talking about? What…conspiracy theory are you talking about?"

Disgusted by whole easily a perfect evening had been blown to blazes, Asuka glared hatefully at the useless, spineless, pathetic little wimp who was supposed to be an Eva pilot. "Apparently, the baka thinks that NERV sabotaged that stupid hunk of junk robot! And is therefore responsible for Misato going monster on us!" Snorting loudly and wishing she could truly display just how low of an opinion she had of such idiocy, the German stood up even higher, as if to proclaim from on high, "Which, just for the record, is completely _nuts!"_

His mouth opened and closed seemingly at random for about half a minute before Shinji meekly replied, "I…never said that I thought NERV was responsible..."

"You didn't have to! It's pretty obvious that that's what you've been suggesting, Third!" Her ire growing at Shinji's refusal to take a stand even now, Asuka planted her hands to her hips and leaned forward, glaring all the scorn she could muster. "And like _I've_ already told, that's crazy! Why would _anyone, _especially _NERV_ waste their time trying to sabotage that pathetic kludge?"

"Whoa, you two!" Kaji broke in, making a 'time-out' gesture with his hands. The two of them turned and looked at him as one, an opportunity he seized be asking, "Now, come on, Shinji! What would ever make you think that Jet Alone was sabotaged?"

"Well, Misato told me that…she thinks that's what happened," Shinji explained lamely, earning an annoyed look from Asuka. As quickly as he could, he explained to them how they had talked during the period of time after Misato had reverted back and they had been waiting for the ambulance to arrive. "Anyway, I…I gave it some thought, and…well, it would explain why it just took off like that for no reason!"

"Well, true," Kaji nodded casually. "And Asuka? Why are you so sure he's wrong?"

"Because I read up on that stupid thing as soon as I heard about it!" Asuka returned, recalling the day that she heard that someone had cooked up a robot that might replace the Evas. Fuming at the very thought, she had researched the prototype mecha, and had quickly found herself reassured. "That walking can was totally useless! No AT-Field, a nuclear reactor that would do more damage to us than the Angels if it melted down! Besides, it obviously wasn't as strong as an Eva, and its AI could never replace a living pilot! At least…it could never replace _me!"_ Taking a moment to let these words sink in, the German glared irritably at her fellow pilot. "Besides, Third, have you forgotten what would have happened if Misato hadn't been able to stop that thing? It would have nuked an entire city, that's what! And you really think NERV is willing to pull a stunt like that? Get real!"

"But, Asuka -!" Shinji protested.

Before Asuka could read him the riot act for even trying to contradict her, Kaji held up his hands to the both of them. "Now, now, both of you! Settle down! Please, we're supposed to be having dinner, not a shouting contest!" Glancing at her crush, Asuka then grimaced hatefully at her fellow pilot for a time before finally sitting back down. "Okay, then. And now that we have a bit of silence for me to work with, maybe I can get a word in here. Now, Shinji, I can't blame you for being suspicious over what happened. I mean, a malfunction like that would come off as being a bit unlikely. And I certainly can understand you wanting to take out our your frustrations on something. But Asuka made some very good points here. Despite what Jet Alone's backers would have had you believe, there was never any real chance of a robot like that ever actually working in the battlefield. And therefore, there's no reason for anyone to try and sabotage it."

Gratified by the knowledge that Kaji was squarely in her corner, Asuka grinned in triumph. "See, Third?"

"But…are you sure?" Shinji muttered warily. "Besides, Misato said that…"

"I know. I heard you. And I can't blame her for being suspicious, either. Especially considering what's happened to her. But I wouldn't make much of it." Then Kaji gave a rueful smile and added, "Besides, and I hate to admit it, but Katsuragi has always been a little paranoid about people in government. It's nothing new."

"There! See? There's no stupid conspiracy!" Asuka decreed, satisfied that she had been proven right. "Just a bunch of incompetent morons who managed to screw everyone up with their worthless robot!" She then sat back in her seat, waiting for Shinji to agree with her. To apologize as he always did so they could get back to enjoying the evening he had interrupted.

Shinji didn't apologize. He didn't say anything, do anything, save for lowering his eyes to the table. His face unreadable as he frowned in thought.

_What? Don't tell me he isn't even listening!_ Asuka growled inwardly. She was sorely tempted to give voice to this sentiment when two things stopped her. One was that Kaji had already returned to his meal, apparently satisfied that the matter was settled. And if she attempted to continue the argument, then she was the one who would look bad, not Shinji. And making herself out to be the bad guy was not going to win Kaji's heart. The second was that she was rapidly losing patience with the situation at hand, and really wasn't in the mood to pursue this matter any further at the moment.

_Honestly! What's the Third trying to do, saying stuff like that about NERV?_ Asuka wondered incredulously. _We get enough bad publicity from the _dummkopfs_ of the world as it is!_

While Asuka didn't like thinking of it, she knew that NERV required vast amounts of financing in order to function, and that admittedly came at the cost of higher taxes, fewer jobs, and an overall weaker economy. And she knew that this was difficult thing for many people, even in her native Germany. But still, it wasn't nearly as bad as a lot of the crisis hounds on the news and internet made it out to be, saying that NERV was above the law, that it was responsible for widespread poverty and starvation in numerous countries. And while no rational human being could deny that the Evas, and thus their pilots, were of absolute importance and necessary to the survival of humanity, she had no doubt that there were plenty of idiots who would love to take the 3rd Child's inane theories and blow them all out of proportion.

_Seriously, what is he thinking? Doesn't he realize how it would look if people found out about this? That an Eva pilot and the Commander's own _son _is going around saying that NERV was trying to send entire cities up in mushroom clouds?_ Not for the first time, Asuka wondered what exactly went on in the so-called mind of Shinji Ikari. Why didn't he realize that being an Eva pilot was incontrovertible proof that he was superior than most of the drudges that inhabited the planet. Why did he insist on acting like a spineless wimp instead of milking his place in the world for everything it was worth? Why didn't he grab the power, the prestige, the fame and popularity and glory that came with being an Evangelion pilot with both hands like he could? _What, it's not bad enough we have losers like the people who made Jet Alone and Spirit making NERV look bad? _He _has to pitch in and help, too?_ As soon as she had completed this thought, Asuka found herself wincing in almost physical pain. _Ugh! Why'd I have to go and think of that glory-grabbing slut?_

Taking an especially vicious stab at her meal, Asuka began thinking of all the torments she would love to wreak upon the winged girl. The superwoman so many of the boys at school thought was so hot and so amazing, who pranced about in the air, acting like she was better than everyone else. Who had managed to steal Asuka's thunder by killing two of the Angels since the German had gotten to Japan, had gotten the UN and several other organizations tightening their purse strings and increasing their scrutiny of NERV and its operations. And possibly worst of all, getting some people in school and even in the media suggesting that instead of blowing so much money on Evangelions, it would be more practical and _much _cheaper to simply hire Spirit to kill all of the Angels for them.

_I've been training all my life to be pilot, and everybody winds up thinking _she's _a hero? She's just another Angel who happens to look human! And if Akagi hadn't screwed things up, I'd have…! _Her chain of thought deteriorating before the wave of searing anger Spirit caused in her, Asuka found herself glaring at Shinji again. Still sitting in the same position as he had been before, probably thinking the same treasonous thoughts.

_You better watch it, baka! Because Misato isn't around to make excuses for you or to let you slack off anymore!_ Asuka declared, the image as Shinji as a waiter returning to her. An image that quickly morphed into him as being a butler. A servant whose only reason to exist was to carry out the whims of those better than him. _As of now, _I'm _in charge here! Which means that you're going to be doing everything that I say, including shutting up about those stupid conspiracy theories of yours! And you better accept it, because if you don't, I'm going to beat you into a pulp and _make _you accept it!_

* * *

As Maya walked alongside her mentor towards the desk behind which NERV's second-in-command now sat, she couldn't help but relieved that Gendo was presently away from NERV. That they were meeting Fuyutsuki in his office, rather than the horrid, forbidding expanse of darkness that was known by so many as Gendo's Lair.

_I can't imagine how the Commander manages to stand working in his own office,_ Maya thought as she and Ritsuko were greeted with a warm smile from the old professor. _Or the Sub Commander, for that matter!_

"Greetings, Dr. Akagi. Lieutenant Ibuki," Fuyutsuki greeted them, giving them a polite bow of his head. "Thank you for coming so quickly." His smile faltered a bit as he added, "Especially under the current circumstances."

"It was no problem, sir," Ritsuko replied, a slight tremor to her voice the only sign of exhaustion she allowed to slip out. "So, what did you want to see us about?"

Leaning back in his seat, clearly trying to make himself more comfortable after too many hours relying on caffeine and willpower to keep him going, Fuyutsuki began, "Well, to put it very simply, we heard from the Committee earlier this morning. They demanded a meeting with Ikari regarding the…recent events."

"You mean…about the Major, sir?" Maya gathered.

"Hmph. What else would it be, considering the chaos her She-Hulk self caused?" Fuyutsuki muttered tiredly. "With all the publicity that thing's been getting, I'm amazed that they didn't call him in sooner."

Frowning tensely, Ritsuko asked, "Then…he's already left to meet with them?"

"That's right. And after that, he's got an inspection to take care of. Which leaves us to deal with this mess we've got on our hands and keep it from getting worse," Fuyutsuki noted with a wry look. He paused to close his eyes, and when he opened them again, he looked at the two women with an air of consummate professionalism. "Dr. Akagi, what's the status of the new testing and laboratory complex?"

"We've just finished primary construction of the new laboratory and testing range, sir. We'll be able to begin our analysis of her mutation just as soon as she's moved into her new quarters," Ritsuko reported quickly. "However, we still need another day or two in order to complete that part."

"And why is that?" Fuyutsuki wondered, his displeasure clear.

"Because we've had to keep the fact that the Major _is _She-Hulk a secret, sir," Maya spoke up.

"That's right. Ikari told us not to let anyone outside of the A-Class personnel know that She-Hulk has a human form, lest people start getting curious about whom that human form is," Ritsuko confirmed. "As a result, we've been limited in constructing her new quarters by the amount of manpower available to us."

Nodding briskly, Fuyutsuki replied, "Alright. But keep me updated on their progress. I want the Major relocated to the testing complex as soon as possible." Ritsuko nodded her understanding, a gesture Maya quickly echoed. "And what about the security protocol? What precautions have been taken to keep Katsuragi contained…just in case?"

"We've equipped the entire area to release a high-potency sleeping gas, which can be released manually or by an array of sensors," Ritsuko explained, her voice growing heavier as she spoke. "These sensors have been calibrated to detect She-Hulk's unique energy signature. The instant Misato begins to transform, the area she's in will be flooded with gas."

"Very good," Fuyutsuki nodded thoughtfully. "And what about the testing area itself? What are the chances it could contain her, in the event the gas fails?"

"Well, we've used the same kind of armor plating that's used in the Evas in building both the testing range and the outer walls of the Major's quarters," Maya reported. "It's three feet thick on all sides, sir."

"That's true, but I have to be honest, sir. Given what happened during Misato's previous transformations, I doubt those walls would last even a minute against her," Ritsuko declared.

"So our best chance to keep her contained is to keep her from transforming in the first place," Fuyutsuki intoned, to which Ritsuko quickly nodded. "Very well. But see if you can find some other way of keeping this creature contained. If She-Hulk were to escape and start rampaging through NERV, I can't even begin to imagine the destruction she could cause."

"Very well, sir," Ritsuko answered, her face making it clear what she thought of the odds of them stopping something that could rip through an AT-Field like it was nothing. "Will that be all, sir?"

Fuyutsuki didn't say anything at first. Instead, he clasped his hands together before him in a gentler version of the infamous Gendo Pose. "Well, there _was _one other thing that I wished to discuss," he admitted before turning his aged eyes on Maya. "Lieutenant Ibuki?"

It took Maya several seconds to realize that she was the one being addressed. It took her even longer for her to recover from the shock of this realization, meet Fuyutsuki's eyes, and sputter out, "M-me, sir?"

"Yes. You see, before Ikari left, he, myself, and Dr. Akagi discussed another problem caused by the Major's condition." While Maya frowned, trying to figure what that problem could be, the Sub Commander answered that question for her. "Namely, until we're certain that she won't transform again, she can no longer function as our Operations Director. Leaving a hole to be filled in the chain of command."

"Hmm…yes, that's true, sir," Maya hesitantly agreed. While she hadn't given much thought to that, having been more focused on how horrible it must be for Misato to be stuck sharing her body with a mindless horror, she did understand that her superiors had to think of NERV's own good as well. "But…what's that have to do with me?"

"A great deal. You see, we need someone of sound judgment to fill the Major's shoes, someone who can be counted on to work well under pressure. Someone that the people here know and respect." Unconsciously nodding to this, Maya didn't realize where Fuyutsuki was headed with this until he said, "And Ikari and I have decided that that person…is you."

Her eyes bulging at this, Maya was initially tempted to laugh and ask if Fuyutsuki was joking. But then she processed the look on his face, a look that made it abundantly clear that he was not engaging in anything remotely humorous. At which point her brain suffered a cascade failure that sent her jaw plummeting to the ground. "Wh…what?" she somehow managed to garble out as her brain rebooted itself. "M… me, sir?"

Fuyutsuki nodded briskly, and told her evenly, "Before Ikari left, we decided to make you NERV Central's Operations Director." While Maya's was again struggling to cope with this impossible notion, the old professor reached into one of the drawers of his desk, and brought forth a tiny case. "In light of this, we've decided that you be promoted…to Captain Ibuki."

"M-m-me, sir?" Maya stammered out, taking a step backwards as Fuyutsuki popped open the case. Her eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets at the sight of the new rank insignia within.

This simply couldn't be happening. There was absolutely no way this could actually be taking place. Maya had to having a nightmare, or some other form of delusion. Why else would anyone be trying to promote her out of a job which she loved doing? To give her a rank and position that she didn't want, and more importantly, couldn't handle?

But even as Maya thought of these things, she knew that she wasn't dreaming. That Fuyutsuki honestly wanted her to take over Misato's role, to be the one who ordered the children to risk their lives against monsters intent on wiping out all life on Earth. "Uh, sir?" she sputtered out, trying not to grimace in sheer horror at such a situation. "I…really don't think I can accept this."

"This isn't a matter of acceptance, Captain," Fuyutsuki told her, his voice hardening just the tiniest bit. "Ikari and I have already decided."

"I…!" Maya squeaked out, feeling much like a rat in a trap. "B-but, sir, with all due respect, I…don't believe I'm qualified for such a position."

"Perhaps, but Commander Ikari and Dr. Akagi do not share that opinion," Fuyutsuki countered, glancing over at the Head Scientist. "They believe that you are more than capable of handling your new responsibilities. Also, I am fully aware that you have undergone courses in command training, and scored quite well."

_But…I just did that because I thought it would look good on my resume! _Maya grimaced inwardly, recalling the 'helpful' suggestions she had received from several of her friends back at the academy. Friends who assured her that she would never have command unless she actively pursued it. Friends whom were really stupid, she now decided.

Glancing over at Ritsuko, wondering what could ever have possessed her sempai to make such an erroneous recommendation, Maya took a deep, stabilizing breath, and tried a different tact. "I may have command training, sir, but I don't have any military background. I…honestly don't think could handle the Major's duties."

"Not on your own," Fuyutsuki admitted in a more grandfatherly tone. "But you have a keen mind, and have proven yourself to be reliable in a crisis situation. Things that are essential in dealing with the day-to-day responsibilities of your new position." Opening her mouth to protest that it wasn't that part of her job that scared her, Maya was promptly cut off when the old professor went on. "And as far as your…other duties are concerned, I wouldn't worry too much."

"You wouldn't?" Maya gaped, wondering if the world had gone insane or if it were just her.

"Indeed. Don't forget that, while Major Katsuragi's condition renders her potentially unstable, she still retains all of her knowledge and experience while in her human form," Fuyutsuki pointed out. "I'll be expecting you to take that into consideration when the next Angel appears."

While Maya was trying to digest this, Ritsuko offered her a reassuring smile. "That's right, Maya. If an Angel shows up, all you'll have to do is go down and ask Misato for some advice." Startled when she felt the doctor's hand gripping her shoulder reassuringly, the new Captain looked up as her mentor told her, "Besides, if I honestly didn't think you could handle this, I would never have recommended you for it."

As Maya processed this compliment, her face shed some of the fear that adorned it. "Oh…thanks, sempai," she responded with a slight blush. Then she looked down at the rank insignia, considered everything that it represented. Glancing between it and Fuyutsuki, realizing that he would not take no for answer, that _Gendo_ wouldn't take it, she gave a weary sigh as several tons of responsibility appeared out of nowhere to come crashing down upon her shoulders. "Very well. I…accept, sir." As the Sub Commander held her new insignia out for her to take, she held out her own hand. "But…only if this is temporary assignment. As soon as the Major is cured, or you can find someone…better equipped to handle this post…"

As Maya trailed off, unsure of how to continue, Fuyutsuki nodded and answered, "Fair enough. After all, this was never intended to be a permanent assignment, Ibuki. Merely a holding action until Major Katsuragi has been cured."

"Uh…okay," Maya replied nervously. Her hand shaking, she slowly reached forth and took the new rank insignia and held it out to the light. Despite knowing in the pit of her stomach that things would be nowhere near as simple as they were being made out to be, she took her Lieutenant's badge and nervously replaced it.

"Very good," Fuyutsuki beamed before getting down to business. "Your first assignment will be to find someone to take over your previous duties. Preferably someone who already has A-Class clearance." Nodding nervously, Maya almost missed the Sub Commander adding, "And you had best do it quickly. It won't be long before I have to join Ikari."

A beat passed as Maya once again found herself hoping that she hadn't heard what she had just heard. "Join – you mean, you and the Commander…you're _both _going to be away from the base?"

"That's correct. We have a special assignment, one which the Committee apprised us before this situation with the Major developed." Clearly anticipating her next question, Fuyutsuki added, "The reason we haven't told anyone about this assignment is because Chairman Keel wants to keep as much about this assignment as secret as possible. All I can tell you is that we're to be gone for some time."

"But…that means…" Maya got out, too dumbstruck to even give voice to her realization.

"It means that, until our return, you will be in sole command of NERV Central," Fuyutsuki confirmed. As Maya's mouth popped open again, her worst fears confirmed, the old professor once again switched over to his more grandfatherly mannerisms. "Now, don't worry. It won't be _that_ difficult," he assured her in a calming manner. "Most of the daily going-ons here are fairly routine. And I still have a bit of time left before I have to leave. Enough so that I'll be able to acquaint you with your new duties."

Maya was unable to take any comfort from this. All she knew was that, in the span of a single meeting, she had been wrenched from her cozy, comfortable position in NERV, doing a job she enjoyed, and forced into overall command of the single most vital military installation on the face of the planet.

_What could I have possibly done to deserve this?_ Maya wailed inwardly, even as Fuyutsuki rose up and came alongside of her, already proceeding to give her the lowdown on her new title and all the burdens that came with it. _About the only things that could make this worse would be the Major transforming or an Angel showing up to attack!_

* * *

"Greetings, Ikari," came the voice of a man awash in white light. A man who sat at the opposite end of the table Gendo was now seating himself, his eyes obscured by a cybernetic visor. "How good of you to come here, and on such short notice."

"Chairman," Gendo returned, nonplused as he met and returned the gazes of the five members of the Human Instrumentality Committee. "I trust that this won't take too long."

There was a definite pause as the four members sitting on the sides of the table gazed at Gendo with a mix of surprise and distaste. The member lit with green sneered in disgust, muttering, "Is that so, Ikari?"

"Indeed," Gendo responded, assuming his typical pose as if it were his own desk he was seated at. "As you are all well aware, the expedition to retrieve the one true Lance will be leaving soon. An expedition that you have put me in charge of." Leaning in closer to study the faces of the old men seated before him, faces that were seemed and lined with petty greed and cruelty, the Commander elaborated, "And considering the time constraints put upon us by the Dead Sea Scrolls, the sooner I am able to depart, the better."

"Of all the insolence…!" the member bathed in red light hissed dangerously.

"You will leave when we so decide, Ikari! And the same goes for the expedition!" the man shaded with blue decreed. "And you will leave only when our current business is concluded!"

"I am aware of that. Which is why it behooves us to keep this meeting brief," Gendo muttered, indulging in a moment of triumph at the irritated looks given him.

"Correct," the cybernetic figure tersely agreed. "Let us get down to business, Ikari. You know why you are here."

"Indeed, Keel," Gendo replied evenly. "You wanted a report on the recent…events that have taken place in Tokyo-3, and…"

"Events? Try catastrophes, Ikari!" sniped the man awash in yellow light. "We've all seen the reports coming out of Japan! You've allowed another monstrosity to come forth and compromise the scenario! Another beast with Angelic abilities!"

"That's right! As if it wasn't bad enough when we only had _one_ such creature running loose!" Blue sneered hatefully.

"And from what we've seen, this latest creature, this…Hulk or She-Hulk or whatever it is they called it may be an even worse threat than Spirit is!" Yellow jumped in again. "It's been all over the news, Ikari! Tokyo-3 in shambles, and NERV proving to be incapable of reigning in this monster! Do you have any idea how this makes you look?"

Red nodded grimly before saying, "The UN has been asking a lot of questions, Ikari. We've already been forced to forestall an investigation into your activities, and if there is a similar incident -!"

"There won't be," Gendo broke in, fixing the old man with a glare. "As I've already explained to Chairman Keel, the creature…this She-Hulk…has already been secured."

"Indeed," Keel admitted, not bothering to pay attention to the rest of the Committee members as they looked back and forth between them. "However, there remains a great deal that you have yet to explain, Ikari. Such as how such a monstrosity came into being in the first place."

"Of course," Gendo replied, knowing it best not to play games with the one man who might well be his equal in this arena, and was at times an ally he could not yet afford to alienate entirely. "I've brought to you all of the information we currently have available on the creature." Reaching into his pocket, he then withdrew a tiny object and held it out into the light. "On this flash drive are all the results of all the blood analyses and genetic tests Dr. Akagi has been able to perform to date. But the bottom line, gentlemen, is that we are dealing with some form of Angelic infection."

"Is that right?" Green muttered, raising an eyebrow at this. "So, you're sticking with the same story you gave the press, huh?"

"Not precisely," Gendo returned, meeting his latest attacker's gaze unflinchingly. "The story we gave the press was part of the truth, simply because it is data that we can easily corroborate. And, unfortunately, there was no time to manufacture a complete fabrication." Then he sat back and eyed the other men there meaningfully. "And in this case, this partial truth may indeed be our best weapon."

"What do you mean?" Red wondered with a stony scowl.

"As we all know, Spirit's freedom represents a potential danger to the scenario. A human with powers such as hers could very easily interfere with the final stage of Human Instrumentality. And to make matters worse, she has quite a bit of support from the public at large. Enough so that any open attempt to eliminate her would likely backfire, increasing the scrutiny upon NERV," Gendo explained carefully, making sure that the focus of everyone there was upon him. "However, with the emergence of this creature, with origins potentially similar to those of Spirit herself…"

"What are you saying? That you plan to say that _Spirit _is the source of this infection?" Green sneered. "More likely the media will say you're just trying to find a convenient scapegoat! And they'd be right!"

"They would be, if that was indeed my intent," Gendo countered deviously. "However…"

"However, we seem to be getting distracted from the actual purpose of this meeting." Looking up sharply, Gendo found himself against up against the soulless gaze of Keel, his features taut with readiness. "Ikari, you were ordered here to give a full and satisfactory explanation as to both how this She-Hulk came into existence, as well as what you intend to do with her now that you have…successfully captured her."

Just keeping his expression under control, Gendo refused to give any hint as to his annoyance. He had hoped to distract the old men somewhat with the possibility of eliminating one of the thorns in their side, but of course, Keel had seen through that tactic. "At this point, there is still a great deal we don't know about the creature, aside from the fact that it was at one point human. Dr. Akagi is proceeding with her analysis, but for now, everything known this beast," he frowned, holding up the flash drive, "is in here."

"We will, of course, be looking over that," Keel muttered dismissively. "But what about the creature herself? Have you been able to identify her? And what caused this…infection you speak of?"

Focusing solely on Keel, Gendo took a moment to consider his next words. Making absolutely certain that he said nothing that could be used against him. "At this time, we haven't been able to identify the source of the infection. Dr. Akagi and the entirety of NERV's scientific division is working at full capacity to both study the creature, to find out everything they can about it. However, it _will _take time."

"Is that so?" Yellow demanded derisively.

"Yes," Gendo returned nonplused. "Don't forget that there is a great deal that we still don't know or understand about the Angels themselves. And a creature such as this, being a hybrid of two separate species, is even more complex."

"Something you yourself would know very well, wouldn't you, Ikari?" Blue stated.

Ignoring the baited comment, determined not to let himself be rattled by these men, no matter the power they wielded, Gendo continued. "Also, Section 2 is working to discover the identity of the creature, but that will also take time. Although, we've managed to lift fingerprints from things this creature has touched, they don't match any currently on file. We've also been on the alert for any missing reports. But so far, none have come in."

"How convenient," Red muttered ominously.

"Perhaps, but far from impossible if this creature came from the old section of Tokyo-3," Gendo countered effortlessly. "That area if rife with vagrants and addicts, any one of which could have been exposed to the Angels or some biological contaminant created by them."

Keel didn't say anything to this, nor did the other members of the Committee. Gendo knew that there was no way they could disprove his story at this point. No matter how many accusations and insults they hurled at him, without tangible evidence to levy at him, there was little they could do without risk of escalating the situation. And that was a risk he knew they would be unwilling to take, not when one of the great keys to Instrumentality lay within the Geofront, under his control. Leaving them with no viable course of action.

_For now,_ Gendo reminded himself a moment later. For in the dangerous game they played, he always had to be wary, lest someone attempt to take from him the winds and dragons he had worked so hard to collect. A game that was always in motion, making it necessary to constantly be prepared for the next move.

"Very well," Keel began, his tone making it clear that the current round of that game was over. "We'll make the data you've collected available to our scientists. Perhaps they will find something that will help Dr. Akagi and her people in their research." Saying that they would also be checking for any holes in Gendo's report without actually saying so, the head of the Committee added, "For now, we are adjourned."

"Very well, Chairman Keel," Gendo responded, satisfied that this round had gone to him. Although there was a risk that they would see through the alterations Ritsuko had made to the information he was now handing to his backers, it was an acceptable gamble, given the potential gains. But for the moment, he had other things to deal with.

The next stage of the game upon him, Gendo stood from the table and left, already prepared to make his next move.

* * *

"So, seriously, Misato-sama had to go on some kind of special assignment for you father?" Toji asked querulously. "Just like that?"

"Uh, yeah," Shinji lied lamely, his eyes falling to the ground as he continued forward, feeling strangely out of place for the first time since he had arrived in Tokyo-3.

It was his first day going to school since the Day of Destruction, as several of the newspapers had referred to She-Hulk's mammoth rampage. And even though much of the damage done had been repaired, there were several signs to be seen as Shinji and Asuka walked along Toji and Kensuke. Massive cracks were seen in both the concrete and even some of the buildings, despite the earthquake-resistant construction. But he had seen the city recovering from battle before. That wasn't the reason he felt so disconcerted.

"Man, does that suck! We didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to her or anything!" Kensuke chimed in, reminding them not for the first time of how upset he had been not to get a chance to see Misato that morning. "And you're _sure _you don't know when she'll be coming back?"

"Hey! How many times do you have to ask the same question, you creep?" Asuka demanded, placing her hands to her hips even as Kensuke recoiled to a safe distance. "Honestly! She's not here, we don't know when she's coming back, and that's that!"

"Hmph. For once, I have to agree with ya, Devil," Toji tossed in. While Asuka fixed him with a poisonous blue glare, tufts of her hair sprouting into perfect devil horns, the jock added, "Seriously, Ken! Shin-man's got it tough enough as it is without having to deal with you bugging him." Shinji heaved a thankful sigh at this, though he really didn't want to know what exactly Toji meant by him having a tough time. Hoping like crazy that Asuka didn't inquire about that one, he was then startled when Toji asked, "Still, it does seem kind of sudden. What kind of 'special assignment' would need her to bug out of town without so much as a word?"

"Uh…" Shinji began, only for his mouth to fail utterly. Leaving him with his two best friends waiting expectantly, without a clue as to what to say.

Fortunately, Asuka didn't have the same problem. "How should we know? You know how much NERV loves all this top secret _schisse!_ They thrive on it!" the redhead declared, her forceful voice tearing their eyes from Shinji and fixing them squarely on herself. "Seriously! The Commander can be such a _jerk!_ First he promotes Misato, then he sends her off to who-knows-where and -!"

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a minute!" Kensuke piped up, his jaw falling in surprise. "Misato-sama got a promotion? Seriously?"

"Uh, yeah," Shinji responded, grateful that he didn't have to lie about that. With his limited experience when it came to social niceties, he had never learned to be a convincing liar, and he was not turning out to be a very quick study in the field. "She's a…Major now."

"Oh, wow!" Kensuke exclaimed, his eyes expanding in awe. "Say! As soon as she gets back, we should throw a party for her!"

"Hey, that's a good idea!" Toji grinned, looking very much the hormonal idiot. "Besides, I think her new rank really suits her! After all…she sure _is_ Major!"

"Oh, please!" Asuka grumbled irritably, sticking her nose up in the air.

Thankful to have escaped any more unanswerable questions regarding Misato, Shinji and the others continued to school. Before long, they had stopped at their lockers and were soon on their way to class. "Hey, Asuka! Shinji!" Hikari greeted them warmly as they entered. "How're you doing today?"

"Oh…we're okay, I guess," Shinji answered morosely as Asuka went up to her best friend.

"I was a bit worried when you didn't show up these past few days," Hikari explained as Asuka came to sit right next to her. "Did something happen?"

"Ugh. Nothing much. Just had some stuff to take care of," Asuka responded, sounding every bit as casual as she did before. "Our place got hit pretty badly when that big green freak showed up again!"

"Yeah, I heard," Hikari responded, her voice subdued. "Toji stopped by your place the day after and…he said that the police were there for some reason."

"Yeah, they were there. Apparently, that damned monster came pretty close to where we are, and did a number on the parking lot," Asuka grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Though why they were wasting time there instead of -!"

"Whoa, wait a sec! You mean…She-Hulk was actually near your apartment?" Kensuke cried out in geekish delight. "Aw, man! Talk about luck! Did you get to see her?"

Her expression souring like overripe lemons, Asuka glared at Kensuke and retorted, "No, we didn't! And why in _Gott's_ name do you care, anyway?"

"Are you kidding? Have you even looked at the pictures of her?" Kensuke demanded, his enthusiasm rapidly mounting. "Talk about huge! And I'm not just talking about her muscles, mind you!"

Fighting the urge to blush as Kensuke's words conjured up pictures of She-Hulk's bare body, Shinji clamped his mouth shut even as Asuka flared, "Ugh! Why do I even waste my time talking to these stupid perverted Stooges?" With a shudder, she grimaced at Hikari. "Honestly! I just hope their idiocy isn't contagious!"

"Hey, you think this is bad? Just think about what I've been putting up with these past few days!" Hikari replied good-naturedly. "She-Hulk this and She-Hulk that! The poor woman was infected by an Angel, and they talk about her like she was a glamour model or movie starlet!"

"Feh! I can just imagine!" Asuka muttered, sending a venomous glance at Shinji's fellow Stooges as they sat down, still talking between themselves.

As the two girls continued chatting, Shinji found himself losing himself in his own thoughts. He didn't want to talk to anyone just then. There was just too much still seething inside his heart, so many emotions jumbled up and pouring into one another. And with so much that he absolutely had to see secret, as well as the close calls he had already suffered that day, he folded his arms on top of his desk, rested his head on top of them, and lost himself in his own silence.

That didn't mean that the rest of the class was silent, of course. Toji and Kensuke were talking about the various sighting, with the otaku going on about how great it would be to get some pictures of She-Hulk, to which the jock wondered how much such shots would sell for. Asuka and Hikari were discussing some of the events of that day, with the German giving her friend their cover story word for word, including how Misato had been sent on an assignment.

When Hikari asked Asuka if it were true, that NERV really was trying to cure the creature, Shinji found himself wanting nothing more than to put on his SDAT and drown out the rest of the world. For while he could understand them talking about She-Hulk and her destructive ways, that didn't make it any easier to listen to everyone go on and on about it. To listen to them talking about Misato as a creature, a thing to drool over, or worse, an object of fear.

_They don't know it's her,_ Shinji reminded himself, trying very hard not to listen to them. _They don't know its Misato…to them, she's just a monster. Like the Angels._ Frowning pensively, he told himself that this was for the best. That if they ever found out that Misato was She-Hulk, she would never be able to get her life back, even if she was cured. There would always be those seeking recompense for the actions of her other self, who would look at her with fear for things that were completely out of her control.

A wisp of Toji's and Kensuke's conversation filtered through Shinji's wall of silence, enough to tell him that they were still talking about She-Hulk, as well as costumed females in general. _Misato…a costumed hero,_ he thought idly, quirking a smile as his mind conjured up an image of the muscle-bound jade giantess wearing a costume of her own. It would probably something simple, given the difficulty in finding clothes that would fit such a massive figure, as well as Misato's own teasing nature. Probably a leotard, or even a bikini, something that would show off her fully-formed body for the world to see. _If only Misato were like Spirit, and were in control of herself as She-Hulk. Then…_

"Shinji?" Spirit spoke up, her voice startling him out of his inner world. "Shinji, are you listening?"

"Huh?" Shinji started, looking wildly about for the superwoman. Then he realized that Hikari was standing in front of his desk, looking at him in concern. Belatedly, his overwrought mind realized that it had been the class representative he had heard, and not the winged superwoman.

_Oh, what am I thinking? Spirit's probably a hundred miles from here,_ Shinji thought wearily. Deciding that listening to Toji and Kensuke talking about that sort of thing was effecting his mind, or perhaps that he was more out of it than he had realized, he sighed and answered, "Oh, yeah. Sorry, Horaki-chan."

"You don't have to be sorry, Shinji. But since class is about to start, I think you should probably start looking like you're paying attention," Hikari told him, her voice a mix of tease and reprimand. With that, the pigtailed girl took her place at the head of the class as Mr. Takashima entered. "Stand, bow, sit."

Working on automatic pilot, Shinji went about that routine, and with that, class began. But even as Mr. Takashima prepared for their lessons, which would almost certainly trail off into another dialogue about the pre-Impact days, he glanced back at Hikari as she seated herself. His thoughts drifting back to the Day of Destruction, when a battered and exhausted Spirit had shed her wings and silver hair in a desperate attempt to survive. Becoming an ordinary girl like any other.

_No way. That's…that's crazy!_ he told himself with a frown. He told himself this over and over, that it had to be a coincidence, that the two girls simply sounded alike in his distraction.

And yet, even as he did so, Shinji found himself glancing back at Hikari. Trying to picture a mask over the face of the prim and proper class representative, replacing her school uniform with a tight-fitting costume. _There's no way,_ he told himself again. But at the same time, he realized that no one would realize that Misato and She-Hulk was the same person, just by looking at them. And as he did so, he realized that even a superwoman had to go to school. Had to have a normal life. Had another face beneath her mask.

And as he thought these things, Shinji wondered if he had found something that might be able to help him, in case of the worst…

* * *

As Misato sat in the cramped room in NERV Medical, her gaze turning from the window that showed the world of the Geofront to the small computer and back again. And although the daylight that filtered into her room was artificial, it was still far better than no sunlight at all. For at least she had the illusion of the outside world…an illusion she wanted to take part in. She wanted to feel the sun beating down on her skin, to feel the wind whipping through her hair. She wanted to go driving through the city, taunting the police with their inability to catch her. She wanted to sit back on the balcony of her apartment and enjoy a few cold ones before going to sleep. She wanted to talk to her friends, to be with people, to be with…

_Shinji, _Misato thought miserably, recalling how he had come to visit her in the past four days. _How are you doing today? Are you doing well at school?_ Heaving a weary sigh, desperately looking forward to her ward's daily visitation and the relief it gave her from her solitude, and terrified of the risk he took, simply by being near her. _ And PenPen…and Asuka…are you okay? Do you…?_

Unable to complete her thought, Misato clenched herself tightly, the people in her life appearing in her mind. As thoughts of everyone her transformation had separated from filled her mind, tears once began forming in her red-rimmed eyes. She thought of her apartment, her Renault Alpine, of everything that had filled her life, only to be taken away from her. Stolen from her by a mindless monstrosity that was now hiding within her very body. Such thoughts were her companion throughout the day and well into the afternoon, until she heard someone at the door.

"Shinji?" Misato murmured, looking at the one way in or out of her tiny world.

"Misato?" a female voice answered instead. "It's me, Ritsuko. I'm coming in."

"Huh?" Misato spoke sluggishly, looking at the door as her best friend entered. "Oh, hi, Rits." Wondering how long it had been since she had last seen the Head Scientist, she looked blankly at her, trying to figure out what exactly to say. "Uh…where've you been? I haven't…seen you lately, and…"

"I know. I'm sorry about that, Misato," Ritsuko smiled in sincere apology. "I meant to stop by yesterday, but things got a little hairy."

"Hairy?" Misato repeated warily. "What, is something wrong, or…?"

"No, no, nothing like that!" Ritsuko quickly assured her. "Just had to put in some double-shifts to finish the new research area." Then she gave her a tired smile and added, "And your new quarters, of course."

Misato blinked in surprise at this. "You mean…it's ready? So soon?" the Major spoke wonderingly, recalling the preliminary tour she had been given of the area when work had first began.

Ritsuko nodded, obviously pleased with herself. "We pushed to get done as fast as we could," the doctor explained, gesturing for the Major to get up. "Come on, let's get going. I've arranged for a clear path to the lab, and besides, I'm sure you'll be a lot more comfortable there than in here."

Feeling an edge of bitterness at this statement, Misato replied, "Alright, just give me a minute here." With that, she stood up and pulled out a set of clothes that Ritsuko had brought for her. Moving as if on automatic pilot, the Major was soon dressed in her typical blouse, skirt, and flight jacket, just as she had been when she had last left the tiny room she had been trapped in by her own internal monster when she had taken the faux tour.

Once dressed, Misato followed Ritsuko out of the room. As soon as she was in the hallway, she discovered several people dressed as NERV technicians flanking the doorway. But she could already tell that, like before, they were Section 2 agents dressed for the role. All of armed with tranquilizer guns, ready to put several darts in her the moment she seemed to be even _thinking_ the color green.

"You ready?" Ritsuko broke in, stirring Misato from yet another reminder of what she had become. A moment passed before she was able to look away from their escort, and when she did, she responded with a simple nod. "Alright. Let's take it easy, okay?" Not needing the reminder, but not possessing the energy to tell Ritsuko what she could do with it, the Major fell in behind her, not even paying attention as her armed escort fell into position alongside of her as they started down towards what would be Misato's new home.

The trip was made in silence, a trip Misato spent drilling in every detail of her surroundings that she could into her mind. Painfully aware that she would not be seeing even the hallways of NERV or the cafés or any of these things for a long time. _That is, if I ever…_ she found herself thinking, only to quickly squelch that thought. _No. Ritsuko will find a way to cure me. She's a goddamn genius, remember? And besides…!_

Despite herself, Misato let her train of thought trail off as she looked at her friend. Suspicions buried but not forgotten buzzing in the back of her mind. Nagging doubts and fears poking at her from all sides.

For the remainder of the trip, Misato was forced to keep these evil things at bay by force of will alone. Making it a relief when they finally reached the portion of the NERV pyramid that had been transformed from a storage facility for Evangelion components to highly functional laboratory complex. Despite her inner fears and niggling doubts, she couldn't help but be awestruck by the transformation. And while no scientist, she knew enough about the tools of their trade to know top-of-the-line equipment when she saw it.

Seeming to sense her thoughts, Ritsuko looked over her shoulder at her friend and asked, "So, Misato, what do you think?"

"Hmm…it's not bad. For a rush job," she replied with as much humor as she could muster. Then Misato looked over towards one corner of the room, and suffered a hint of relief. "I see you got rid of that damned cage."

"I thought it would be best if we moved it before bringing you down here," Ritsuko explained sympathetically. "I know you didn't enjoy dealing with the last time."

Again, Misato was tempted to make a snide remark, but lacked the energy to even attempt it. Confronting the holographic doppelganger of her monstrous other was quite likely one of the most horrendous experiences of her adult life, for while she had seen the creature in the recordings made by Section 2, seeing the 3-D version had been a far different thing, one made far worse by the illusory IV tubes feeding sedatives into the creature's body. The sallow expression on its face, like it was barely alive.

It had been all-too easy for Misato to see that as her own future, should there indeed be no cure. Living as nothing but a specimen for study by scientists for the rest of her days. She knew that she would sooner die than live such a nightmare.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Ritsuko continued to apologize, again seeming to read Misato's mind. "But…we had to make sure that…"

"I know, I know," Misato responded, waving aside the doctor's words as she examined the various technical displays and workstations before turning towards a heavily fortified structure that stood nearby. "So…is that my new place?"

Ritsuko nodded to this. "We did everything we could, to make sure that you would be…comfortable here, Misato," she explained, to which the purple-haired woman said nothing. "Come on, I'll show you around."

"Alright," Misato responded, and with that, she let Ritsuko lead her into what looked like an ultra-deluxe trailer that had been designed by the people who had created Fort Knox. There were no visible windows, and the walls were made of heavy armor plating, as was the door the doctor was approaching. With practiced ease, she slid her NERV ID through the reader, prompting the thick, heavy door to hiss open a couple centimeters. There was the sound of hydraulics at work, and then with a distinctive groan, the door slowly ground open.

_Three feet of armor plating,_ Misato frowned as the door opened fully. _And I bet that it would barely even slow that monster down…_

As this dour thought ran its course, the door finally opened enough to let Ritsuko slide on through. Once she was on the other side of the entryway, she turned and smiled in a gentle fashion. "Come on, Misato." Pausing momentarily to take one last look at the world outside of her new prison, Misato sighed heavily and followed her friend inside.

As soon as Misato had entered, Ritsuko pressed a control on the wall. Forcing herself not to watch as the door closed and automatically locked, sealing them both in, the purple-haired woman gaped at her current surroundings. While the exterior of her new lodgings were harsh and forbidding, every aspect of its design dedicated to strength and imperviousness, the interior was that of a large, clean apartment-like structure that she would have killed for. Painted in warm colors similar to her own home, it was filled with every conceivable modern convenience. There was an extensive entertainment system, as well as a sofa, and a kitchen apparent, as well as a multitude of books, video games, and DVDs. What really caught Misato's attention was that the furnishings and the apartment were proportioned so that, while she could fit in everything comfortably as herself, they would also fit the much greater proportions of her other self as well.

"Come on, Misato, I'll show you where everything is," Ritsuko spoke, gesturing for her to follow as she began showing her friend where everything was, including the bed, bath, and other necessities. "Now, I brought a few of your things from home, but I also arranged to have some more…elastic clothes brought here. You know, sweats, jumpsuits, that sort of thing. Anything that can stretch a bit for…her to be able to fit into, and…"

"And will be cheap enough to replace if that thing manages to destroy them," Misato grumbled, seeing the sense in this. As bad as things were, she didn't want to make them worse by totaling her wardrobe of good clothing. "So, what about that door? Where's that go?"

"That? That leads to the actual testing facilities," Ritsuko explained. "When we're ready to go to work, you just go through that door, and you'll find most of the equipment we'll need for conducting your examinations."

"Right," Misato nodded as she glanced over her new home one more time. "So…is there anything else?"

"Well, actually, yes," Ritsuko started, an undercurrent of regret in her words. "You see, Misato…I have good news, and bad news."

"Aw, _shit!_ Ritsuko!_"_ Misato immediately growled, giving a shake of her head.

"Wait, I haven't even said anything yet!" Ritsuko protested.

"You don't have to!" Misato growled, crossing her arms as she stared at her friend distrustfully. "The only time somebody says that they have good news and bad news is when the bad news really _sucks!"_ Ritsuko immediately sagged, and with a groan of dismay, the Major knew that she was right on target. "Alright, we might as well get it over with. What's the good news?"

It took several moments for Ritsuko to find her voice, something that made Misato even warier. "Well, the good news is that we've made a lot of progress in examining the blood samples we took from you, and we should make even greater progress once we take biopsies of your various tissues. The MAGI should be able to map out most of the functions of the mutation from those without any difficulties."

"And the bad news…?" Misato prompted, growing impatient with Ritsuko's stalling.

Sighing as she realized that there was no getting out of it, the doctor took the plunge. "In order for us to get a precise understanding of how your transformation works, as well as what's going on in your mutated physiology, we built an evaluation range, which is part of the testing facilities," Ritsuko explained, once again gesturing towards the door. "In there, we'll be able to…artificially induce your She-Hulk state, and study it firsthand."

Several seconds passed before Misato shook her head disbelievingly, letting out a hoarse laugh as she did. "Rits, I must be more out of it than I thought. Because I could have sworn that you just said that you wanted to _study _that green nightmare!"

Ritsuko didn't laugh. Instead, she looked somberly at her friend and responded, "Yes, Misato. That's exactly what I said."

Her eyes widening in incredulity, Misato stared at the doctor for a time before decreeing, "Then you're _crazy! _That thing will tear this place apart!"

"No, you won't," Ritsuko countered coolly. "We've taken several precautions to restrain you. Every section of this facility can be flooded with sleeping gas, in case of the worst." The faux-blonde paused to let out a ghostly sigh, and added, "And as for the actual testing…we already have something in place for keeping you under control."

"Like what? An AT-Field?" Misato snorted, wishing that she could truly give vent to her annoyance. "Have you already forgotten what happened to Spirit? That thing will tear through an Eva's AT-Field like it was toilet paper, the same way it did with hers!"

"No. Not an AT-Field." Set back by this admission, Misato stared at her friend in confusion as she explained, "We had something else in mind." Before the Major could ask what that was, the heavy entry door creaked open, prompting Ritsuko to turn and smile sadly. "Ah, right on cue."

Unable to speak, Misato watched as the door slowly slid completely open, allowing Shinji to come in. "Hi, Misato!" he piped up as he moved towards her, two bags of groceries in his arms. "Sorry to be late, but I had to stop at the grocery and pick up a few things for you."

A puzzled squeak escaping her lips, Misato watched as Shinji made his way to kitchen. She turned back toward Ritsuko, only to see Shigeru and Makoto come in, also carrying bags. "Hey, Major!" Makoto greeted her as he and his fellow bridge bunny joined Shinji in bringing out an assortment of groceries, as well as a couple six-packs and kegs of Yebisu, along with other goodies that Misato enjoyed.

Misato studied the boy who was happily stocking the kitchen, the wheels turned in her mind, and she slowly began to shake her head as she returned her gaze to Ritsuko. "No, no, no, _no!"_ she moaned, hoping desperately that she was wrong. "Don't you even _think_ about it!"

Raising her hands, Ritsuko moved closer to her friend. "I'm sorry, Misato, but it's the only way!"

"_No! _You will _not _lock Shinji in here with that thing!" Misato cried out in desperation, her anger forgotten in a wave of fear. "She'll tear him apart!"

"Misato, please, calm down!" Ritsuko pleaded, taking a few steps back. "Look! You know full well that you won't attack Shinji! You've already seen that creature protecting him, haven't you?"

Jolted by this reminder, Misato's immediate fear abated a bit, but was quickly replaced by a deeper pessimism. "But…what if she does?" she asked plaintively, picturing her ward standing alone with the unstoppable beast-woman, with nothing to protect him. An image that quickly changed to one of herself waking up to find herself stained with Shinji's blood, the boy's shattered remains lying on the ground before her. "She could rip him to pieces, she could…!"

"No, you won't!" Shinji cried out in protest. The two women turned to face him as he left the small, functional kitchen behind, no fear in his eyes or hesitation in his voice. "Misato, _please!_ I know you would never hurt me!"

"But, Shinji…!" Misato gasped out, kneeling down to look the boy in the eyes, fear, desperation, and adoration appearing in equal amounts. Wishing that she had the words to express the tumultuous feelings churning within her.

As Misato looked at her ward, Ritsuko silently gestured for the lieutenants to leave. Taking a moment to process the unspoken order, Shigeru gave a quick nod, and tugged at Makoto's shoulder. "Misato, I'm sorry, but I couldn't think of any other way," Ritsuko told her as NERV's resident guitarist escorted the otaku out. "But She-Hulk clearly responds favorably to Shinji, and from what we've been able to learn, she never attacked anyone without provocation. I can't imagine that she would even think of harming him."

"But…!" Misato croaked out, only to have her voice fail her again.

"Misato, it's going to be okay!" Shinji insisted, moving even closer to her. "I want to help you!" Swallowing loudly, his eyes moistening, he continued, "I…I wasn't able to help you with Jet Alone, so…please…let me do this for you!"

"Shinji…" Misato got out, issuing a muted sob as her eyes began to fill with tears, covering up her mouth as she stared at the brave young man before her.

"That's not all," Ritsuko informed the Major. "Shinji's already volunteered to come by every day, and cook your meals for you, as well as visit and to help with your testing."

Looking up at her friend, Misato could hardly speak. "What?"

"That's right! Here, I'll show you!" Shinji smiled before heading over to the kitchen. Her mind all but blank, Misato followed, and watched as the 3rd Child gestured to the various foodstuffs that now decorated the kitchen. "I cooked up some small lunches and dinners, and all you have to do is warm them up in the oven. I put instructions on each of them, and…" Stopping to fetch something out of one of the bags, Shinji turned around…and showed Misato a sumptuous-looking strawberry pie.

As Misato stared at the pie in absolute shock, Shinji smiled shyly. "You never…got to chance to have any of the last one, so I made a fresh one, just for you," he explained, just before he carefully placed the pie in the refrigerator. Just as he closed it and turned to pick up more food and put it away, Misato lost control of herself. Dropping to her knees, she grabbed hold of the boy's shoulders, turned him so that they were looking at each other…and crushed her lips against his, clenching him tightly to herself, as if desperate to keep him close.

"Misato!" Ritsuko cried out in shock as she looked at two of them. "What are you doing?"

As the Major slowly regained control of herself, she pulled back, and found herself staring into Shinji's blue eyes. Eyes that were filled with surprise, bashfulness, and kindness. "What am I doing?" she spoke in a ragged voice, just before she managed a tearful smile. "I'm kissing the kindest, bravest, most wonderful young man I've ever met!" Punctuating this declaration with another determined kiss, she clenched Shinji as closely to herself as she could, the normally meek boy surprised but doing nothing to fight it. And as she continued to lock lips with him, emotions surging from her to him, he soon returned her embrace.

When Misato finally broke away, more out of need to take another breath than anything else, the two of them just looked at each other, with Shinji staring almost numbly at her. The two of them just kept looking at each other, until Ritsuko cleared her throat. "Shinji…if you're going to be staying for a while, why don't you start dinner for Misato?"

As the two of them looked at each other, only to blush slightly, Misato pulled away. "That sounds like a good idea," the Major admitted as she stood up, turning to look at her best friend. Confused and uncertain by what she was feeling, she shrugged and asked, "So, Rits…care to join us?

"No, I don't think so," Ritsuko answered easily. "I've got a lot of work to do, and besides, you need to get settled in." Shrugging helplessly, she asked, "Maybe some other time?"

Frowning somewhat as her doubts once again gnawed at her, Misato eventually nodded. "Sure, no problem." Then she turned towards Shinji, and shot him an impish look. "Well, Shinji…shall we get to work on breaking this place in?"

"Okay," Shinji returned, and without another word, set to work on preparing dinner even as Ritsuko departed.

* * *

A short time later, after dinner was done and eaten, Shinji and Misato sat at the table, smiling as they finished off two slices of the strawberry pie. "This was totally worth the wait, Shinji," Misato smiled, shaking her head as she scraped some remaining strawberry off of her plate before forking it into her mouth. "Thank you."

Shinji blinked at this. "For what?"

Sniffing, Misato just looked at the boy that had done so much for her. "For dinner. For dessert. For putting up with me and that…thing." She gave a quick shrug and added, "And, I guess…just for being you."

Taken aback by Misato's words, Shinji blushed before looking away. "Uh, Misato?" he murmured slowly, as if he were carefully picking out each word before he spoke. "I was just thinking that…well, if you wanted, I…could stay here with you."

Stunned by both Shinji's offer and the way with which it was spoken, Misato asked, "What? St-stay…?"

"Well…just for tonight, anyway," Shinji amended. "Besides…Asuka is having dinner with Kaji, and…"

Shaking her head, Misato looked at the boy, barely able to hold back the emotion welling up within her. "Shinji, I…I'm grateful, but…you should just go home."

"But…I thought it might help, if you didn't spend the night here alone. At least, not on your first night here." Then he shrugged, and with deep emotion, Shinji told her, "Besides…it won't _be_ home…until you're cured."

As Shinji's words filled Misato's mind, it was all she could do not to fall apart, to scoop him up into her arms, to hug him and kiss as long as she was able. As it was, a broad, grateful smile exploded across her face. "Well, in that case…what say we spend tonight checking out that fancy entertainment system Rits put in here?"

Shinji quickly smiled in delight, tears also began welling up in his eyes before he nodded. "Okay," he returned, getting to his feet. "Uh…would you like me to see what movies we have here?"

"Sure," Misato beamed, and with that, Shinji made his way over to the DVD case. Watching him as he perused the various titles available, she frowned as something caught her eye. Something that was watching her.

_What the…?_ she frowned, sitting up to get a better look. And she soon realized that she had seen was just her reflection that had been caught in the cabinet's glass doors.

And at the same time…it was something else entirely.

The image caught in the glass was distorted, twisted. The features of Misato's face were twisted to look larger, more brutish than they actually were. And the color was distorted as well. Leaving her confronted with a face that stared at her from the glass, glaring at her warily a menacing scowl.

It was the face of Misato's inner monster. The creature that had been dubbed She-Hulk. And it was looking at her.

Misato responded by looking and scowling right back at it. _If you do anything to hurt Shinji…ever…I don't care what happens to me,_ she growled inwardly. _I will kill you. Even if it means that I die as well._

As Misato looked at her twisted reflection, she could hear something whispering in her mind. _Never hurt Shinji,_ the voice seemed to say. _Never._

* * *

Author's Notes: Another chapter down. Not a lot happening, but I'm trying to set up for something big in the future. Still, I hope you'll read and review, and check out my other stories as well.

Now, regarding the quick construction of the new facility and the holograms, let's face it. NERV has some pretty impressive technicians and technology. Besides, people who can put together that sniper rifle they used against the 5th Angel can do a lot of things. And trust me, Gendo has plenty of reasons for wanting Misato's secret to remain just that.

Now, for those of you wondering, I have no intentions of giving Shinji superpowers in any of the current stories. "Heroes United" might be another story, and I might do some "What If…?" stories along those lines, but the main reason behind the "Superwomen of Eva" stories is to get away from a superpowered Shinji.

That being said, I wanted to do something to express his growing outrage over what's happening to Misato, and his dream seemed to be an excellent way of doing it. Also, Shinji is a guy with a lot of repressed rage, and on a subconscious level, the idea of being able to let some monster appear and pound the daylights out of whatever is hurting him would probably be very appealing.

Konous the grey, Asuka may have gone to college, but in my mind, she doesn't have the kind of sneaky smarts to make the mental leap you attribute to her. After all, we're talking about the girl who was shocked when told she was told that a pilot responsible for protecting the world wouldn't be allowed to go gallivanting on some class trip that would take her far away from her duties.

Mike313, your comments about the Evas going totally Hulk is well taken. However, don't forget that you gave Rei III in "Spirit" powers similar to those wielded by Hikari, and her powers came from Adam's DNA. Also, there is the possibility of only partially mutating the Evas, ala Doc Samson. He got a power boost, but he didn't turn totally green, and he's nowhere near as strong as the Hulk.

Until next time, Excelsior. But for now, let's have some omakes!

Omake 1

"Ah, Kaji-kun!" Asuka beamed as she sat back in her chair. "This has been the most wonderful night of my life! Thank you so much!"

"Ah, say nothing of it, Asuka-chan," Kaji replied, raising his wine glass up to her. "It's the least I can do to thank you for saving me from a life when that purple-haired nightmare!" Shaking his head wearily, he sighed before asking, "What did I ever see in her, anyway?"

"Oh, don't feel bad about it, Kaji-kun," Asuka cooed as she rose from her seat. "What matters is that we're together now." Rounding the table, she then knelt down to look the freshly shaven man in the eye. "Now, c'mon! Now that dinner's done, let's have some real fun…and make me feel like a woman!"

"My sweet little sex bomb, nothing could make me happier!" Kaji declared as he rose up, the sight of him splendid in his tuxedo inspiring Asuka to hike up her dress and…

* * *

"Ehh, no. That doesn't sound right," Asuka muttered as she deleted the last few words, deciding they sounded like something Misato would do. "How about…he rose up and came to her, easing her out of her satin dress, and…"

"What's going on here?" came a painfully familiar voice, one that froze Asuka and made her clench her teeth before turning to look over her shoulder. Sure enough, Orion was standing behind her, his arms folded across his chest and a supremely annoyed look on his face.

"Ugh…Orion! I thought you were taking the day off!" Asuka screeched as she realized that she had been caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar. "What – what are you doing here?"

"Well, I _was _taking the day off until the silent alarm I installed in here went off!" Orion growled irritably.

"Silent alarm? _What _silent alarm?" Asuka demanded.

"The silent alarm I installed when I caught Misato in here, making some modifications of her own to the script!" Orion informed her. While Asuka was wincing, thinking evil things about the purple-haired woman, the fanfic writer narrowed his eyes and added, "And it looks like it's a good thing I did, too! The last thing I need is for you to trash the script before it's even done!"

"Trash it?" Asuka screeched, tufts of her hair curling up to form perfect devil horns. "Hey, don't you go saying that to me! _You're _the one who's always trashing me, a sweet, innocent -!"

"Sweet? Innocent? That's a bad joke if I've ever heard one!" Orion declared, reaching into his pocket. "And if you think I've been trashing you before, just wait until you get a load of my latest invention; the Automatic Bitch Pacifier!"

"Automatic _what?"_ Asuka shrilled as Orion pulled out a remote control and pressed a large, red button on it. A moment later, a portal appeared above the desk at which she sat, from which a large, gloved hand appeared and grabbed her right out of her seat. "_Gott im himmel!"_

"There! That'll teach you to stay out of my office!" Orion snarled as another set of gloved hands appeared, holding various implements of torture. "This is my studio, and we're playing by rules here! And if you don't get it now, then trust me, you _will _be getting it very soon!"

Omake 2

"I can't believe you did this to me!" Spirit gulped as Nozomi led her top the boxing ring. "What were you thinking?"

"Come on, sister! I _know_ there's no way that big green creep couldn't beat you in a fair fight!" the little girl spoke confidently. "So I thought it was only fair to set up a rematch!"

"Ladies and gentleman, and fight fans of all ages! Welcome to the grudge match of the century!" Kodama announced, dressed up like a referee as she stood in the center of the ring with a microphone in hand. "Just arriving in the red corner, weighing in at just over a hundred pounds, we have that famed destroyer of Angels! That winged wonder known as Spirit!" Then, gesturing towards the opposite corner, she continued. "And in the green corner, weighing in at over seven hundred pounds, we have that famed Amazonian destroyer! The beast of Tokyo-3! She-Hulk!"

"Hey! Didn't anybody tell you that it's not polite to tell somebody a woman's age and weight?" the She-Hulk asked, even as the audience roared, practically drooling over the fight that was about to take place.

As Spirit was practically shoved into the ring, she watched as Kodama came closer. "Kodama, I don't believe this!"

"Hey, college is expensive, sis!" the eldest Hokari sister explained. "Besides, it serves you right for just taking off in the middle of the night!"

"C'mon! Let's get it on already!" Misato grinned, slowly cracking her knuckles, a sound that greatly resembled machine gun fire.

"Oboy!" Spirit sweat-dropped, wondering if a few prayers might be in order.


	10. The Beauty that is the Beast

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 10: The Beauty that is the Beast

The nightmare began as it always did. Misato was wandering about the decimated remains of Antarctica, surrounded by icebergs reflecting ghosts of her past. And as before, those ghosts spoke to her in snippets, bringing back moments of a life that was far removed from the one she lived now.

But at the same time, the dream was different. The hideous whispering that had once haunted the impossible world was silent. There was nothing goading her as she once again found herself confronted by the survival capsule. There was no awful green light shining from it. No furious pounding or hateful screeching. No monster inside demanding to be freed.

For a long time, Misato studied the capsule, looking through the glass. Suddenly, the metallic coffin issued a mechanical hiss, the top of it suddenly sliding open. Gasping in shock, she recoiled from the capsule as a hideous green fog billowed up from it, blotting out the ocean of death, along with everything else.

Looking wildly about, Misato searched for any sign of the world beyond the hideous fog. But she could see nothing. Nothing at all. _No! I…I have to get out of here!_ she thought as she continued to frantically look about._ That thing…_she_ might be in here, too!_

This thought instantly hit home, filling Misato's mind with the picture of herself, lost and alone and wandering in this hateful fog, easy prey for the monster that had torn itself free of its prison. Now sick with fear, she looked about one more time, trying to pick a direction, and then simply flung herself into an all-out run. Her rapid footsteps sounding eerily on the water, she ran, and kept running as fast as she could. Without any idea of where she was going, knowing only that she had to get away from there.

As she continued to run, Misato became aware of certain things. That her footsteps sounded different, like they were being made on concrete, rather than water. That the light filtering through the fog was different, and that she could make out distinct shapes through it. Not enough to be able to determine what they were, only that they were there. But in her panicked state, she didn't really process their importance. All she cared about, all she could even think about, was escaping the foul fog and the creature that it potentially hid.

After an unknowable length of time, Misato noticed that the fog was beginning to thin somewhat. More importantly, she saw some form of light beyond the green haze. Thinking that she was approaching its boundaries, she pushed herself for even greater speed, running faster and faster. And she continued to run until at last she emerged from the shroud of fog…at which she ground to a halt, her fear turning to horrified astonishment.

The ocean of death she had been walking through was gone. The icebergs, the crimson water, all of it had disappeared. And in its place was a city in ruins. Buildings had been shattered and sent toppling down on their sides, while others barely remained standing, entire sections of their walls ripped out. There were signs that even more buildings had been shattered, their crumbled remnants left strewn upon the shattered streets. The sky overhead swirled with a bloody red, obscuring a hazy sun, and in the distance, a lake was visible. A lake in which three giants lay prone, their bodies shattered. Torn limb from limb, armor plating ripped asunder, revealing almost human tissue.

With a horrified gasp, Misato realized what it was she was seeing. The sundered bodies of all three mighty Evangelions. Utterly and completely destroyed.

_No…this can't be…!_ Misato whispered in her mind, too terrified to speak aloud. Looking wildly about, her senses primed to detect even the tiniest movement, she started forward. Searching for shelter and answers alike.

What Misato found was increasing amounts of destruction. The city that she now knew to be Tokyo-3 was shattered crust of its former self, with nothing to indicate that anyone remained there. What street lights that remained were off, and there was no sign of any activity amongst the ruins. The pounding of her own heart her constant companion, she continued forward until her foot splashed into something wet. Automatically looking down, she gasped in horror when she saw that she was now standing in a pool of blood.

Bringing her hands to her mouth, Misato studied the pool before her, and realized that it wasn't just a pool, but a flow of blood that was still moving, creeping up the streets. Without any thought, she looked up and started to follow the crimson river. Ignoring the wet, horrible sound her every footstep made, doing her best to stem the revulsion she felt as the flow grew larger as wound her way down the streets, getting to the point where it rose up to the top of the curbs. She simply followed the impossible river until she rounded one of the few standing buildings, and discovered with source. At which point all other horrors went flying out of her mind as her very soul shattered.

Sucking in gasp of revulsion, Misato wanted to run. She wanted to cover her eyes and start crying like a little girl. She wanted to scream and scream and never stop screaming. But all she was able to do was stand there, her mouth hanging open as she looked at the intersection of one of Tokyo-3's largest thoroughfares, at the center of which was a mountain of death.

Every person that had once called Tokyo-3 his or her home, every man, woman, and child lay there, piled up in a perverse monument of death. Their limbs had been ripped from their bodies, they had been broken and shattered, their skin shredded so as to allow their blood to fill the streets. And adding to this horror was that their heads were all perfectly intact, and thus easily recognizable. People Misato had seen living in her apartment building, NERV staff members she knew from the cafes, even the casual passerby was a part of that mountain, their faces forever frozen with horror.

"No…" Misato gasped, raising her hands up before her as she circled the mountain, studying the faces, recoiling as she saw their open, dead eyes staring at her. Accusing her. Condemning her.

"No…no nonononono…!" Misato whimpered as she backpedaled from the mountain of horror. Catching sight of more and more familiar faces even as she retreated. Ritsuko, Maya, Shigeru, Makoto, Fuyutsuki, Kaji, even Asuka and Rei were a part of this nightmare. Their eyes asking her why she had done this. Why she had killed them.

Just as Shinji's eyes did, when she finally found them.

_"Nooooooo!"_ Misato howled in despair, stumbling away from the hideous image. Out of her mind with horror, unable to tear her eyes away from her accusers, her victims, she kept backing away from them. Screaming again and again, her voice echoing throughout the city. Transforming into roars of utmost savagery and hatred for all other things. Into the monster that had taken everything and everyone dear to Misato and destroyed it, just because it could.

That monster that Misato herself was.

* * *

_"Nooooooooooo!"_ Misato screamed as she flung herself into a waking position, looking wildly about as she tried to make sense of what was happening. But nothing she saw was familiar to her. This wasn't her room, or even her apartment.

Her breasts heaving against her sweat-soaked t-shirt, Misato shakily got to her feet, and very nearly collapsed to the floor as she staggered into the wall. On one level, she remembered she was, in the secure quarters Ritsuko had set up for her. But her conscious mind was too overwhelmed to really process this fact. All she could really do was look about her lodgings, which had none of the familiar clutter or comforting smells of home, and fling herself out the door.

_A dream…another nightmare…!_ Misato thought raggedly, desperately trying to relegate the horrors she had just experienced to the back of her mind. To tell herself that her city and her friends were still alive, even if she couldn't see them. That the creature hadn't taken her soul and drowned it in an ocean of blood. But the fear and despair that had spawned those images weren't so easily quelled, and continued with her as she made her way through her current home.

Frantically trying to escape the fears of the nightmare world, Misato staggered over into the bathroom. After clumsily flipping the lights on, she pushed herself to the sink and fumbled with the knobs. As water rushed into the sink, she grabbed two handfuls of it and flung into her face. Rubbing the cold water into her face, feeling it wash away the lingering sleep and confusion, Misato felt her mind coming back into focus. Shaking off some of the excess water, she grabbed for even more and splashed herself again before leaning over against the wall, staring into the depths of the sink. Her heart still pounding furiously in her ears.

_Oh, no…!_ Misato gasped inwardly as she realized what her own pounding heart heralded. _No…please, no!_ The terror from her dreams upon her again, she forced herself to look up at the mirror…and saw glowing green eyes looking back at her.

_No, no, no! I…I have to stay in control!_ Misato commanded herself, the images from her nightmare still painfully close to the surface. Causing the green in her eyes to spread through her veins. _Have to…have to stay calm! Have to…have to…!_

But even as she thought this, she realized that it was already too late. Misato could feel her thoughts breaking down as something else rose up to the surface, responding to her fear and anger. Every muscle in her body was tensing in response to the gamma power that was being released from within. Tormented growls escaped her lips as she fought and lost, new, more primitive emotions and impulses rising to the fore. Her bones cracking and reshaping themselves, becoming more suitable to supporting the surge of muscles that were swelling up beneath her meager sleep clothes.

_Noooo…!_ Misato thought, straining to contain her own inner beast.

_Yes!_ another voice cried out in delight as her breasts swelled up from the C-cup range, quickly graduating to F and beyond, filling up the front of her shirt. The once slender muscles of her back bulged and took on greater definition, growing in spurts that sent Misato leaning forward, splitting her shirt wide open along her spine.

As her buttocks grew, threatening to split open her shorts as well, Misato became aware of a strange hissing sound from above. Looking up, she saw a whitish mist spilling out a series of vents just below the ceiling. _Sleeping gas!_

Even as Misato rejoiced, another voice howled in frustration as the gas descended, making its way into her nose and mouth. The beast was so close to release, to freedom, and the foul mist was taking it away from her again. Keeping her trapped in the tiny cage, and within Misato's body.

Now it was the beast that was fighting the losing battle, for the mist was something that it couldn't simply smash away, and Misato still had enough control over herself to keep breathing in the tranquilizing vapors. About half a minute after the gas had been released, the tormented woman's heartbeat began to fade, and the partial transformation slowly reversed itself.

_No! _the beast within screamed in frustration as it was once again confined to whatever dark depths it had come from. _No, no, no…!_

_Yes…_ Misato thought wearily as all her previous tensions slid away, her knees buckling as sleep overtook her. _Up yours…bitch… _This was all she had time to think as she toppled over, asleep before she even hit the floor.

* * *

"Thanks for letting us come in, Shin-man," Toji spoke gratefully as he and Kensuke entered the Katsuragi apartment. "I'm telling you, this storm came from completely out of nowhere!"

Shinji nodded to Toji's words even as he handed his two friends a pair of towels to dry themselves off with. The sound of rain impacting echoed throughout the apartment, and all it took was a look outside the window to reveal the full wrath of the heavens that had been unleashed. In a way, it was rather appropriate; the storm outside was a perfect match for the confusion and frustration that raged within him.

"So, like, when's Misato going to be coming back?" Kensuke asked, his usual level of hormones flowing freely behind his glasses.

"I'm…not sure," Shinji responded with a slight frown, his lips tightening somewhat at the mention of the purple-haired woman.

With a quick glance through the window, Shinji once again looked at the raging storm outside, and thought of his guardian. A couple days had passed since Misato had been brought down to her new residence within NERV. Days that had not passed quietly, with the purple-haired woman tossing and turning in her sleep, whimpering in fear at the nightmares that plagued her. Something Shinji himself had overheard that first night, the only night he had been able to stay with her. And though there had been no incident that night, no uncontrolled transformation, to say that that night had been peaceful would be to lie.

As days went by, Shinji continued to visit Misato, cooking her meals, checking up on her, and generally soothing her fears. Assuring her that he knew that she would never hurt him, no matter what her nightmares showed her.

_She doesn't deserve to live in that…that nightmare!_ Shinji thought fiercely as he looked outside, wishing evil upon both human and Angelic forces for cursing Misato in this way. Once again feeling the need to find out the truth behind Jet Alone, to prove that the robot had been sabotaged. A need that had gone unfulfilled so far, despite Shinji's current efforts to learn everything he could about Jet Alone and what happened that day.

As Toji and Kensuke were quietly drying themselves off, a familiar screech made them wince in discomfort and dismay. "Hey! What are _those _perverts doing here?" Asuka demanded from behind the curtain that separated the bathroom from the rest of the apartment.

"Uh…drying themselves off?" Shinji suggested as his friends shot the redhead disgusted looks.

"Oh, right! Like I'm supposed to buy such a lame excuse?" Asuka demanded in a mix of egomania and paranoia. The volatile German than narrowed her eyes at the two visitors. "Well, I'm changing in here, and if any of you _dummkopfs _peep, you're dead!"

As Asuka closed the curtain, Toji's veins popped out from his forehead, even as he clenched his towel in fury. "Why, you stuck-up, egotistical little…who'd be interested in something you can't tell the front from the back of, anyway?"

Kensuke looked ready to add his own two yen worth when Asuka's head once again emerged from behind the curtain. "_What?_ Are you saying that I don't have any breasts, Stooge?"

Toji's became even more outraged at this as he leaned closer to the German. "No, those are just fine! The problem is that I can't tell your head from your ass, _that's what!"_

"Why, you…!" Asuka growled, looking ready to fly out at Toji and rip him limb from limb.

Just as Shinji was reluctantly getting ready to play referee, wishing that someone else more capable of doing so was present, he was saved by a ringing coming from the kitchen. "Oh, the phone," the 3rd Child muttered, feeling almost relieved for the distraction. "I'll get it."

Before anyone could contest this notion, Shinji went to the kitchen, where he saw PenPen staring somewhat morosely at the boy. At first he thought that the penguin was out of fish, but then he saw that his plate was still half full. Letting out a low sigh, he nodded, for it had not just been Shinji that had been out of sorts these past few days. "You miss her, huh?" he asked, to which PenPen slowly nodded. "Yeah, me too." He was about to say something else when the phone again rang for his attention. Letting out a low breath, Shinji picked up the receiver and placed it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Shinji? It's me, Dr. Akagi," Ritsuko spoke on the other end. "Listen, I need you and Asuka to come to NERV as soon as possible."

Letting out a puzzled squeak, Shinji almost jumped when Kensuke appeared before him. "Who is it?" the otaku asked with eager hope. "Is it Misato-sama?"

"Shh!" Shinji hissed, placing his finger to his lips before turning about and clamping the phone tighter to his ear. "Uh…why, Akagi-san? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing like that. But Maya and I decided to move up the schedule a bit," Ritsuko explained tersely. "You're getting your synch tests today, and then we're running those _other _tests."

"Other -?" Shinji frowned, only to gasp as realization kicked. "Oh, okay. I…I understand. We'll be right over, Akagi-san."

"Good. I'll see you later, then," Ritsuko answered before the phone disconnected.

Placing the receiver back on the hook, Shinji was again jolted when Kensuke asked, "What was that all about? Who were you talking to, anyway?"

"It was Dr. Akagi," Shinji explained as he moved past the otaku. "She's the Head Scientist at NERV."

"Really?" Toji spoke, giving Shinji a hormonal grin. "By any chance, is she as much of a babe of Misato-sama?"

"Ugh! Why do you dorks have to be such slobbering idiots?" Asuka sniped as she emerged from the bathroom, still toweling off her hair. While Toji shot the redhead a positively filthy look, she turned her attention to Shinji. "So, what did she want?"

"We have to get going, Asuka," Shinji responded. When she raised an eyebrow at his statement, the 3rd Child continued. "They need us over at NERV."

"What?" Asuka whined incredulously. "But I'm not even dressed yet!"

"I'm sorry, but…Akagi-san said they need us there for another synch test," Shinji explained. When the redhead sneered in response, he narrowed his eyes. "Also, they have some _other stuff _for us to do. Remember? Those _other_ tests Akagi-san has planned?"

"Huh?" Asuka returned, her befuddlement apparent. However, as she continued to look at Shinji, comprehension appeared in her features. "Oh, right. _Those _tests! Right, I gotcha."

"Tests?" Kensuke wondered, determined to involve himself in whatever was going on. "Say, what kind of tests?"

"Tests that are none of your business, Stooge!" Asuka declared even as she retreated to her bedroom.

As Toji and Kensuke looked towards Shinji, the boy could only shrug helplessly. "Sorry, you two, but…I really can't tell you anything about this yet. It's…classified."

To Shinji's mind, this was quite possibly the lamest thing he had ever said. Which only added to his relief when it actually worked. "Hey, we understand, Shin-man," Toji noted with a typically confident look. "Say, you take care. And if you hear from Misato-sama, be sure to tell her we said hi!"

With a saddened look, Shinji replied, "I will." Sighing heavily, he looked outside again, saw the deluge that he and Asuka would soon be virtually swimming through. "Anyway, uh…why don't you stay here for a while? At least until the rain lets up?"

"Really?" Kensuke answered with obvious gratitude. "Hey, thanks!"

"Oh, it's no problem," Shinji returned with a dismissive wave. "Just do me a favor and make sure you feed PenPen, okay?" Pausing to glance at the genetically-engineered warm water penguin, he shrugged and added, "This might take a while, and…"

"Hey, no problem!" Toji grinned in response. "Anything to help you out, Shin-man! And don't worry!" His grin widening to become slightly larger than his face, he glanced over at Kensuke and added, "I'll be sure to keep Ken out of Misato-sama's clothes!"

His mouth popping open, Kensuke protested, "Hey, don't say that! I'd never even _think_ of fooling around with Misato's things!"

"Yeah, well, you sure as hell better not try messing with mine, Stooge!" Asuka was heard growling. Looking about, they watched as the German appeared in a yellow sundress. "C'mon, Third! Let's hurry up and get this over with!" Nodding, Shinji proceeded to the entry hall and quickly donned his shoes before grabbing his umbrella. Asuka did the same, but before she exited, she snarled, "By the way, you creeps! If I find any of my things missing when I get back, you're dead, got that?"

"Yeah, right!" Toji demanded incredulously even as the two of them exited. "Why would I be interested in a snake's old skins?"

* * *

"Well, Shinji, I have to say that I'm impressed," Ritsuko informed him as soon as the synch test was completed.

"What do you mean?" Shinji wondered as he stood alongside Asuka and Rei in the pribnow box's observation room.

"With everything that's been going on, I was worried that your synch ratio would have suffered as a result," Ritsuko explained with a tired expression. "However, not only is that not the case, but your harmonics value has increased by 6 points since the last test. I'm very impressed."

"But its still 52 points below _mine_," Asuka pointed out with a superior smile.

"Maybe, but 6 points in ten days is truly amazing, especially when you consider everything that's been happening recently," Ritsuko answered, to which Asuka sneered.

Not liking the unpleasant look worn by the German, Shinji cleared his throat before attempting to redirect the conversation. "Um, by the way…how's Misato doing?" he asked nervously after making certain that he chose his words carefully. Not sure as to who was in on the secret, and who wasn't. "And…why'd you bring us in today? I thought…"

Holding up her hands in negation, Ritsuko sighed heavily before glancing back at Maya. The new Operations Director was standing towards the back of the room, looking more exhausted than Shinji could remember seeing her. Glancing over at the rest of the staff there, which consisted mostly of the traditional bridge crew, Maya then nodded. Satisfied with this response, the doctor let out a haggard sigh, and gave the Children a lopsided frown.

"We had a close call this morning," Ritsuko began, speaking as gently as she could. "Misato had another nightmare last night."

"A nightmare?" Shinji frowned. Then he realized what exactly the doctor meant by this, and gasped. "You mean…she transformed again?"

"Almost," Ritsuko corrected, holding up her hands as she spoke. "Fortunately, the automatic sensors detected the sudden change in her weight, and deployed the sleeping gas before it got very far." Shrugging lightly, the doctor seemed to consider her words before explaining, "Anyway, given how nervous she is about the upcoming tests, Maya and I decided that to put them off would only make things worse in the long run. So we called the department heads, and got the rest of the equipment ready, and…"

"Uh…okay. But Misato…she's alright, isn't she?" Shinji asked nervously.

"Yes, of course she is. She woke up with a slight headache, thanks to the sleeping gas, but other than that, she's just fine," Ritsuko assured him.

"Well, that's just great!" Asuka grumbled, placing her hands on her hips. "And why didn't you bother telling us about this before?"

"I'm sorry, but…I didn't want any of you to be distracted. It would have only contaminated the readings from this test," Ritsuko explained somberly. When Asuka's expression only grew harder, the doctor winced with shame. "I understand how you must feel. Believe me, I'm just as worried about Misato as you are, but her situation doesn't change the fact that we still have our responsibilities. We have to be ready if and when an Angel attacks. And part of that means keeping tabs on your current ratios."

Though Asuka was clearly unsatisfied by this explanation, Shinji found that he could still see the logic behind the doctor's thinking. In the short time since joining NERV, he had quickly become aware of the devastation the Angels were capable of causing. And as much as he didn't like it…he knew that he still had to fight them. _Especially because of Adam, _he reminded himself, recalling the Angelic culprit in Misato's condition. _I can't let what happened to Misato…happen to anyone else._

"Anyway, we should get down to the testing range," Ritsuko decided before turning to the bridge crew. "Shigeru, Makoto, are you ready?" The two lieutenants nodded, making affirmative gestures. "Good. Maya, get the rest of the team together. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

"Alright," Maya returned. Then she frowned slightly before speaking in a far meeker tone. "Um, sempai? I know that this is no longer my department, but…would you mind if I helped with the tests?"

"Of course not, as long as you can spare the time," Ritsuko answered with an easy smile. "In any case, I can use all the help I can get in deciphering Misato's mutation." Then the doctor narrowed her eyes slyly and added, "And the sooner we get that done and have cured her, the sooner you get your old job back, right?"

"Uh, right, sempai," Maya nervously answered.

With that, Ritsuko returned her attention to the 3rd Child. "Well, Shinji, are you ready? Remember, these tests are absolutely crucial if we're going to have any chance of curing Misato. We'll all be counting on you to help with her."

As Rei and Asuka looked on, Shinji narrowed his eyes, and gave the doctor a determined nod. "I'm ready, Akagi-san."

"Alright, then," Ritsuko nodded somewhat uncertainly. As if she were wondering if Shinji really knew what he was saying. "Let's get this job done and over with."

* * *

"Is this really necessary, Rits?" Misato wondered as she sat in the living room of her special lodgings. She was dressed in a loose blue medical gown, watching as her best friend and Maya placed sensory bands around her arms and legs, as well as other devices upon various parts of her body.

"Yes, Misato, it is. We want to get as much data from this test run as possible," Ritsuko explained, noting the wary look in her friend's eyes as she worked. "No offense, but…I think that the less time you spend in your She-Hulk state, the happier everyone around here will be. Including me."

"What? You think _I'm _having any fun with this?" Misato demanded as another sensory device was placed on her. "I'm just glad it's not _my _clothes getting wrecked here!"

"I'm sorry," Ritsuko returned with a contrite look. "It's just…_what _happened this morning, anyway? Was it another nightmare about Shinji?"

Sighing, Misato gave a slow nod. "Yeah…I'm sorry, Rits, but…it all felt so _real! _I had just woken up, and…oh, God, there was blood _everywhere! _The whole _city _was destroyed, and I…I knew that _I _had done it! And all of your bodies were just lying in a pile…staring at me. And Shinji's was right at the front, and I…" The purple-haired woman just bit her lip before looking at her friend. "Even when I woke up, I…I couldn't stop it! I was so scared, so…"

"Major…" Maya spoke woefully, clearly wondering what she could do to help. "Maybe…we should put off the tests? At least for another day or so?"

Unsurprisingly, Misato gave a fierce shake of her head to this. "No. No way. The sooner we get this done and over with, the better!" the Major declared, as if desperate to force this statement through. "You need this data, right? And _I _need to get this damned monster out of me! So let's just do it already!"

"Right," Ritsuko agreed somberly. "Misato, you know if there was any other way…"

"Yeah, I know," Misato agreed. Then she heaved a deep, weary breath before asking, "By the way, Rits? Did you…manage to get through to Kaji?"

"Yes, I did. And I asked him to come here, just like you told me to," Ritsuko responded easily.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Misato replied, pausing to shoot a poisonous look at the nearby coffee table, as well as the computer interface and com-unit that was built into it. "Of course, I wouldn't have needed your help if you'd set it up so that I could actually call someone instead of waiting for them to call me!"

"I know, but I'm sorry. Ikari wanted to make certain that there was no chance of anybody finding out that you're still in Tokyo-3, and not on some special assignment like you're supposed to be," Ritsuko explained, knowing that this would probably not be the last time they had this discussion. "And unfortunately, that means no calling out to anyone, even if they're on base."

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean I have to like it," Misato grumbled with a pout that was only partly feigned.

As Ritsuko placed another sensor in position, she asked, "By the way, why did you want to talk to Kaji, anyway?"

"Do I need any special reason to talk to the jerk?" Misato asked snippily.

Recognizing this evasion for what it was, Ritsuko looked up from her task and commented, "No. It just seems kind of sudden, that's all."

At first, Misato looked like she would respond in the good-natured bickering that they used as conversation since college. But even as Ritsuko watched, she sighed heavily, seeming to collapse beneath her unseen burdens. "Look, I…I just have something that I need to talk about," Misato explained, looking pointedly at her. "With the _both _of you."

Ritsuko's first impulse was to ask what it was that she wanted to discuss. But then she saw the look on Misato's face, and realized that there was no point in trying. She would discuss the matter only when she was ready, and not before. So she contented herself to wait for Kaji's arrival, and continued placing the sensors. "Okay, I get the message," she muttered lowly, contenting herself to wait for Kaji's arrival as she held up two more pieces of equipment. "Now just hold still for bit longer. I still have to put these A-10 nerve clips on."

"A-10 nerve clips?" Misato repeated perplexedly. "What do you need _those _for? I'm not getting into an Eva here!"

"They're to analyze your neural activity," Ritsuko replied easily. When Misato continued to look at her, she sighed before elaborating. "We need to get a better picture of your brainwaves, as well as your adrenal gland's activity and what role it plays in the transformation." The doctor paused before hesitantly adding, "And more importantly, they'll hopefully show us why you have no control when in your transformed state. That could prove crucial in unlocking the secrets of this mutation."

"Well, if you say so," Misato grumbled, raising her hands in an 'I have no idea what all that techno-babble means!' manner. "So…when do we start?"

"Just give me a moment to get Shinji. Once you're…transformed, I don't want anybody coming in or out of the enclosure. Just in case," Ritsuko explained as she rose up.

Before the doctor could turn to leave, Misato held up her hand. "Uh…don't get him just yet, Rits," she asked her somberly. "I…we can't start yet. Not until I've talked to Kaji."

Taken aback by this request, Ritsuko glanced over at Maya, who returned her look of confusion with one of her own. "Well, that's okay," the Captain smiled easily. "We can still bring Shinji in, and…"

"No," Misato stated firmly, her shaky voice hardening with fresh authority. "I…what I have to say…I don't want Shinji to hear it." Taken aback again, Ritsuko was about to ask what it was her friend wanted when the purple-haired woman decided, "In fact…it might be better if you weren't here, either, Maya."

"Huh?" Maya squeaked out, her mouth falling into a heavy frown. "Wh-why is that, Major?"

"It's…personal, Maya," Misato responded after a moment's thought. Using that same voice as before, and one that Ritsuko knew from their days in college.

Realizing that whatever business Misato had with Kaji and herself, and no one else, Ritsuko turned to her former understudy. "It's okay, Maya," she told her, adding to her confusion. "Why don't you go out and tell the others that…we need a bit more time to get ready?"

"But…sempai…" Maya began to protest, only for her tongue to fall flat in her mouth. "Well…okay. But what should I tell them?"

"That we're waiting on someone, and that we can't proceed until he gets here," Ritsuko told her. Then smiled and added, "Of course, if Kaji _is _here, then you won't have to worry about that part."

"Right. Of course," Maya nodded. Casting a final glance at the two older women, the former techie sighed and exited the fortified quarters.

As soon as she had left, Misato frowned slightly and asked, "Is it just me, or does Maya seem a bit…out of it?"

"I wish I could say it was just you," Ritsuko admitted. When Misato sounded her confusion, she added, "Let just say she isn't exactly warming up to your old position."

"Really?" Misato frowned uncertainly. "Well, I admit that isn't a lot of fun, but it's not _that _bad!" Then she winced and added, "Unless you're talking about the post-Angel paperwork, of course. Which, by the way, is about the only thing I _don't _miss with being cooped up down here!"

Chuckling wanly at this, Ritsuko was about to say something in response when she heard the distinctive groan of the main door. Turning as they heavy door slowly opened up, the two women watched as a familiar, unshaven face poked inside. "Hey, there, Katsuragi! How've you been doing?"

"I've been better," Misato returned with none of the typical nastiness she tended to greet her former boyfriend with since he had come to Tokyo-3. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get in here and close the door!"

"Whew! Someone's a bit impatient today!" Kaji muttered, shaking his head as he complied with her wishes. While the door slowly ground shut, he cocked his head to the side and flashed one of his typical grins. "What's the matter? Have you been missing me since Ritsy-poo decided to keep me off-limits?"

"It was for your own good, Kaji," Ritsuko stated firmly. "Besides, I knew if there was anyone on the planet who could set Misato off after everything that's happened, it would be you."

"Oh, why are you being so mean to me? Especially when you told me that Katsuragi wanted me here today?" While Ritsuko was trying to think of something to say to that, Kaji made his way over to them. "So, Sunshine, what is that you wanted to see me about?"

Half-expecting Misato to say some caustic to her former lover, Ritsuko stood there and watched as her friend lowered her eyes to floor. "Actually, I needed to talk to the both of you," she murmured, clasping her hands together. "It's about the tests today." Sucking in a quick breath, her body quaking momentarily as she looked up and studied her friends. "I'm…assuming that Ritsuko told you what she's planning on doing."

"Yeah. She did," Kaji nodded, all teasing and games gone from his voice. "And…well, I certainly understand why you'd be upset. Us basically forcing you to…"

"That's not what I'm talking about," Misato broke in. As Kaji pulled back, the cursed woman glanced over at Ritsuko. "Did she tell you how she's planning on keeping that walking nightmare under control? Making her cooperate for all the little tests they've got set up for her?"

Kaji blinked a few times before a ghostly sigh breathed out of his mouth. "Oh. That."

"Yeah. _That,"_ Misato gritted, once again casting an accusatory look at Ritsuko. One that traveled down to her stomach and proceeded to burn.

"Misato, I'm sorry, but like I've already told you, we couldn't think of any other way of keeping She-Hulk under control," Ritsuko told her again, sympathy mixing with annoyance. "Besides, we're not forcing Shinji into anything here. He volunteered to help us with this!"

"That's right. And besides, it's not like he's going to be in any danger!" Her mouth and eyes flying open at this glibly made statement, Misato was set to spear Kaji with a glare before he elaborated. "Remember, we were watching She-Hulk pretty much the entire time. And trust me when I say that the last thing she wanted was for anything to happen to Shinji."

"I know. I saw the videos, but…" Her voice trailing off, Misato looked down at her own hands and clasped them even more tightly. Glancing over at Kaji, Ritsuko found the unshaven man meeting her gaze, and in his eyes she found understanding. That it was one thing to see something with your eyes, but another thing entirely to feel it in your heart.

"Misato, we understand, but you have to trust me. We've taken every possible precaution here!" Ritsuko informed her. "We'll be watching Shinji and her the entire time! And the moment it looks like she's even thinking of doing something to him, we'll be ready to flood the entire area with sleeping gas. And I've had the tech teams rig up…"

"I know, I know. You've...already told me about all that," Misato nodded, her voice trembling. "But…still…before we go ahead with this, I need you to promise me something. Promise to do one thing for me."

Another look passed between Ritsuko and Kaji before the unshaven man slowly bent down. "Hey, anything for you, Katsuragi," he told her, looking her in the eye. "You know that. If you need our help for something, then just ask."

Wishing she could be as sincere as Kaji was, Ritsuko knelt down a bit as well. "What is it? What do you…want us to do?"

"That…that creature I change into…She-Hulk or whatever you call it?" Misato spoke slowly, fearful tremors running through her entire body. "If something goes wrong, and she does anything to hurt Shinji...then…" Pausing to take a breath, she looked squarely into the eyes of her friends, and without any hesitation, told them, "…I need for you to kill me."

A slight gasp escaped Ritsuko's lips as Kaji continued to look on, unfazed by this request. "I'm serious, you two," Misato proceeded, her voice shaking with her own determination. "Shoot me, hit me with poison gas, snap my neck! Whatever it takes! Just put me down and make sure that it's for keeps! Because if…if she attacks him…"

"Then she's liable to attack anyone," Ritsuko concluded, instantly seeing the inexorable logic to her friend's thinking. But even as Misato nodded, the doctor felt her throat clench, as if someone had just tied a rope around it. "But, Misato, we already know that she won't -!"

"We don't know _anything _about that _monster!"_ Misato shrilled, sending Ritsuko back a step. "This isn't a person we're dealing with! She's a wild animal! How can you possibly know what she will or won't do?"

A hint of a laugh sounding in his throat, Kaji answered, "That's an easy one, Katsuragi." Pausing just long enough to make sure that Misato's full attention was on him, he went on to say, "Because this thing, whatever else she might be, is still a part of you. And whatever other problems you might have, I know that you would never intentionally hurt Shinji, or any of the other children."

Her lips trembling, Misato looked away from her former lover. "I wish I could say that, Kaji. I wish I knew her…or myself half as well as you seem to think you do," she admitted, wrapping her arms about herself. "But…still…I refuse to take any chances here." Glancing back at Kaji out of the corner of her eyes, and bitterly added, "Besides…I _have _hurt Shinji. I know that for a fact. And if I did it…then a monster like her…"

As Misato's voice failed her once again, her friends turned to each other, asking with their eyes what they could say to this. What they could to do quell her fears. And after a short time and the feeling of her stomach tying itself in knots, Ritsuko realized that there was only one way to do. "Alright, then," Kaji proceeded, doing what they knew had to be done. "I swear, Katsuragi. If that thing in you does anything to Shinji today…then we'll make sure that she never does so again. One way…or the other."

Nodding slightly, Misato then turned her eyes on Ritsuko. Further knots appearing in her stomach, the doctor met her friend's gaze, feeling her guilt like never before, and finally was forced to say, "Okay. I…I promise."

"Thank you," Misato replied, gratitude and fear showing in her in equal amounts. Exhaling slowly, she then took a sharp breath, and decided, "Okay, then. I…I guess we…better let Shinji in. And get…started, right?"

"Right," Ritsuko agreed, starting towards the door. And while she was not a woman who believed in anything that couldn't be proven scientifically, she found herself praying to whatever deities that happened to be listening that nothing went wrong that day. That she wouldn't be forced to stain her hands with the blood of one of her closest friends.

* * *

_I wish I hadn't had to do that,_ Misato thought haggardly as she watched Ritsuko open the door. Glancing between her and Kaji, both of whom she had differences with. Both of whom were people she didn't always get along with, and in the case of her former lover, had so many faults and so many ways of pissing her off that she wondered what had possessed her to get into bed with him in the first place, but the fact remained that they were still people that she considered to be her friends, and friends were something that she had precious few of in her life. And she hated having to burden them with the promise she had gotten from them.

_But…I didn't have a choice! I can't take the chance of this thing hurting Shinji! Ever!_ Misato reminded herself as the door opened up, revealing the boy for whom she feared. _I didn't have a choice…_

Sighing heavily, wondering if she was thinking this in regards to the promise she extracted or her role in sending one of those few precious people in her life to face death whenever an Angel appeared, Misato watched as Ritsuko escorted her ward up to her. "Alright, I still have a few things I want to get ready before the testing starts," the doctor declared, acting as if nothing had just happened. "So whenever you're ready, head for the testing range."

"I will," Misato assured her, to which Ritsuko nodded. As the faux-blonde left for the testing area, she forced a broad smile into place for the boy that had already risked so much for her, and was about to risk even more. "Hey, Shinji-kun. How're you doing?"

"Hi, Misato," Shinji murmured wanly. "Uh…are you okay? I mean, is everything…?"

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to this," Misato told him in as impish a fashion as she could. Determined not to alert him to her fears and concerns. "But, yeah, I'm as okay as I guess I can be right now." When Shinji failed to be reassured by this, she rolled her head to the side, and asked, "Why? Is something wrong?"

After shifting on his feet for a few moments, Shinji shrugged and replied, "Well…not exactly, but…Akagi-san, she…she told me about…what happened this morning." Immediately realizing what he was talking about, Misato nodded as he asked, "So…what happened? Did…did she…?"

"Don't worry, Shinji-kun. That lime-green wrecking ball didn't cause any real trouble," Misato assured him. "All she managed to do was trash one of those dollar store outfits Rits got for me. Not to mention introducing me to the smell of sleeping gas."

"Oh," Shinji responded somberly. His features tightening with shame and his shoulders quaking, he blurted out, "Misato, I'm so sorry! If only I'd caught you back then! Then this would never have…!"

"Shinji, please! Don't do this to yourself!" Misato broke in as she took him into a careful hug, determined to keep from him drowning in his own guilt. "We've already been through all this. It's not your fault. It never was."

"Hey, listen to Katsuragi, okay?" Kaji advised the boy. As Shinji looked over his shoulder at the older man, he gave his usual smile. "Focusing on the past won't do you any good, anyway. It won't change what's going on right now, and it won't do anything to make you feel better, either." Then he glanced over at the door beyond which the greatest danger was scheduled to appear. "Besides…you have a lot to do right now, remember?"

Frowning somewhat at this reminder, Shinji then turned to look at his guardian. "Misato…are you sure you're ready? I mean…?"

"I'm sure that we have to do this, sooner or later," Misato responded, lightly brushing her fingers across his cheek. "So it might as well be sooner. Right?"

His features still betraying his fears, Shinji looked down to the floor, even as Misato ran her fingers through his hair. Despite herself, she wondered what would happen to the boy if the worst did indeed come to pass. _Hopefully, Ritsuko or Kaji will take care of things. Make sure he doesn't get stuck in the same kind of hellhole his father put Rei in,_ she thought as the boy once again looked her in the eyes. As she began to started to wonder how Shinji would react to such an event, to being told why Ritsuko and Kaji would ever make such a promise, let alone keep it, she gasped in surprise as Shinji leaned forward in and returned her embrace.

Feeling Shinji's head resting on her shoulder, Misato froze for a moment, her train of thought disrupted, and then abandoned entirely as she started running her hand up and down his back, trying to convey as much comfort as she could. For as much as it seemed likely to happen, she didn't want to imagine his reaction to it. She didn't want to see this single precious soul broken with grief. "Come on, Shinji," Misato spoke softly, her own fears ghosting across her face. "Let's just get this over with."

Sniffling loudly, Shinji reluctantly surrendered his grip on her. "O-okay," he got out as Misato slowly stood, making sure to keep his hand in her own.

"Alrighty, then. Let's do this!" Kaji decided, starting towards the dread door. Knowing that she would be rolling her eyes at his carefree attitude under different circumstances, Misato glanced down at Shinji once more, and then the two of them followed the unshaven man to their appointment with her worst fears…

* * *

Once they were in the testing area itself, Ritsuko quickly greeted the unlikely trio and began giving them an overview of what she wanted them to do. She began by giving Shinji an overview of the various tests that they wanted to put She-Hulk through, in order to get a full range of physical activities and various conditions to test her with. She made sure to point out the various cameras that were located at every point of the testing range, all perfectly calibrated to follow every movement, digest every available iota of data.

"Now, do you understand what we need you to do, Shinji?" Ritsuko asked, glancing over her shoulder as they proceeded to another part of the resting range. "Remember, once Misato's transformed, we don't want to use the intercom. I don't want She-Hulk getting confused by too many people trying to instruct her at once."

"Uh, yeah. I…I think so," Shinji murmured nervously, glancing again at the various machines there. "They…they all seem pretty simple."

"That's the idea. With any luck, you shouldn't have any trouble guiding She-Hulk through the tests," Ritsuko informed him. "Just be sure to keep your distance while she's actually using the various machines, though. While I'm sure she wouldn't intentionally do anything to harm you, I'd like to avoid taking any chances here."

"Right, good idea," Misato quickly agreed, glancing down at Shinji with obvious concern.

Sighing, Shinji couldn't help but feel an even deeper guilt at this. While it was clear that Misato couldn't be blamed for the actions of her other, it was equally obvious that she could and was condemning herself. That she was afraid of what might happen when her inner beast was forcibly set free.

Tormented once again by shame and anger, Shinji continued to watch as they came to a particularly nasty-looking piece of equipment hanging from the ceiling. "Now, here's the trickiest part, Misato," Ritsuko noted with some concern as she eyed the device, which bore a strong resemblance to a mechanical octopus with too many tentacles, all of which were tipped with various medical tools. "This analyzer was designed to probe more deeply into your tissues, to obtain readings while you transform." Pressing her lips together, the Head Scientist turned to face her friend, genuine concern in her eyes. "Unfortunately, this means that the probes will have to be inserted into your body, so they can record everything that happens when you change."

"Great. That sounds like a lot of fun," Misato grumbled, crossing her arms as she spoke. "And what's to stop them from leaving a great big chunk of themselves in my body after you-know-who smashes them to pieces?"

"You don't have to worry about that. The probes are a pseudo-organic composite, similar to some of the sensory devices in the Evas. Even if they were to become lodged in your body, they'll bio-degrade and be broken down soon enough," Ritsuko assured her. "The problem is that I'm worried they might start breaking while you transform, before we can get the data we need."

"Uh, by the way, Akagi-san…" Shinji started, shadow falling across his face. "How are you going to get her to transform?"

"Actually, that's the easiest part about this whole test," Ritsuko answered in a flat voice. As the three of them gave the doctor confused looks, she once again gestured up at the analytical device hanging above them. "Once the probes are in place, it will be easy enough to direct an electrical charge into Misato's body." Focusing on the purple-haired woman, Ritsuko added, "It won't cause any damage, but it will be enough to stimulate your adrenal gland."

"And hurt like hell as well, I'll bet," Misato deduced, giving the device a sour look. As the Major looked at her friend, Ritsuko wilted beneath her gaze. Betraying her lack of enthusiasm with a deep sigh, Misato took a moment to look down at the floor before saying, "Well…like I keep saying…the sooner we get this over with, the better."

"Right," Ritsuko nodded. "Now stand right here, and I'll start inserting the probes." Grunting deeply in her throat, Misato did as she was told. "Just be careful, Misato. This _will _hurt, I'm afraid, so I need you to stay in control. At least until everything is ready."

"Great. This day just keeps getting better and better," Misato grumbled as she stood where requested, blatantly looking away from Ritsuko as she took hold of one of the probes. Clenching her teeth together, she stood perfectly still, with a hiss of pain her only expression of pain as the doctor drove the probe into her left arm.

For the next several minutes, Ritsuko proceeded to carefully insert the analyzer's probes into Misato's flesh, visibly almost panicking with every noise of discomfort that escaped the purple-haired woman's mouth. She did it slowly, giving Misato a moment or two to relax and adjust to the presence of the device in her flesh, obviously in no hurry to be in close quarters with a hopping-mad She-Hulk.

"We're almost done," Ritsuko noted as she took hold of another probe. "Just two more, and we'll be ready to go."

"Right," Misato got out, looking very much like a woman who was trying desperately not to explode right out of her skin. Hissing in pain as Ritsuko implanted another of the torturous devices, she then directed her gaze through a nearby plexiglass window. Following her gaze, Shinji saw the just beyond it was a group of technicians, all of whom were busy working at his or her own station. "What the…?" she frowned, cocking her head to the side. "Hey, is that you, Makoto?"

To Shinji's surprise, the bespectacled otaku looked up in response. "Oh!" he started, his voice distorted by the intercom that fed into the testing range. "Uh…hi, Major!"

"Fancy seeing you here," Misato smiled, only to wince as another probe found its way into her body. "Listen, Makoto…since you're here, anyway, there's been something I've been wanting to ask you."

A quizzical noise sounding in his throat, Makoto glanced about the area before shrugging. "Uh, sure, Major. What is it?"

"From what I've heard, you're the guy who actually started calling this…thing of mine…She-Hulk," Misato began, eyeing the lieutenant in a curious manner. "Is that right?"

"Um…yeah, that's right, Major," Makoto hesitantly answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering…how you managed to come up with that name," Misato explained, letting slip a nervous chuckle. "I mean, seriously? She-Hulk? Where'd that come from?"

Makoto then began shifting about uncomfortably in his seat, clearly unhappy about the not-quite green look in Misato's eyes. "Well, sir, you see…after what happened that first time you…you changed…the newspapers and everyone started calling this thing a hulking monster, hulking creature, that sort of thing." When Misato nodded her comprehension, the lieutenant held up his hands. "Anyway, when you…changed again and we were all working to…track her down…I was thinking about all that stuff, and it just…came out."

"It just…came out?" Misato repeated, grunting as the final probe was implanted.

"Well…yeah," Makoto responded. Then, with a sheepish shrug, he added, "Besides…I figured that She-Hulk sounded more feminine, anyway, so…"

Makoto trailed off as Misato rolled her eyes skyward, despairingly declaring, "That sad thing is, that actually makes sense."

"There. We're all set," Ritsuko informed her best friend. Standing up to look Misato in the eye, the doctor smiled comfortingly. "Now, just relax, Misato. Everything's going to be alright now."

"I wish I could believe that," Misato responded, her fears hidden deep beneath her eyes.

"But it _is _going to be alright," Shinji spoke up, coming up to Misato's side. Without even thinking of it, he took Misato's hand in his own.

"That's right," Kaji agreed with a casual nod. "C'mon, Katsuragi! Lighten up and stop trying to yank a defeat from the jaws of victory!"

"Good idea. Now, we better get into position," Ritsuko ordered, her tone making it clear that she was not in the mood for any backtalk. "Kaji, you come with me, Shinji, I suggest you get some distance from Misato." Thrown by this, Shinji was about to protest when the doctor cut him off. "Remember, we don't want to take any unnecessary chances here."

Though Shinji didn't say anything to this, he did frown as he realized the doctor had a point. He remembered the convulsions Misato had gone through in her previous transformations, the way her body had spasmed as her body sought and found She-Hulk's more massive dimensions. He took a moment to imagine a flailing limb smacking into him, and winced at the resultant picture his mind painted.

Looking up at Misato, all set to apologize, he found her nodding. "That's right. Go on, Shinji-kun."

"Uh…okay," Shinji finally responded, and with a good deal of hesitation, he slowly distanced himself from her, coming to stand with his back against a wall.

"Kaji, let's go," Ritsuko said to the unshaven man. "I'm not going to ask you again."

"Just a moment, Akagi," Kaji told her. Then, turning to look at Misato, he cocked his head to the side and gave her a look of boyish charm. "Okay, Katsuragi. Just sit back and relax, and leave the rest to us."

"Sit back and _relax?_" Misato hissed out beneath her breath, fear and anger showing in equal portions as she spoke. "Kaji, I'm getting ready to be electrocuted so that a monster with the personality of a pile-driver and brains to match can take over my body, all so that Rits can poke and prod it to her heart's content! How the hell am I supposed to _relax?_"

Quirking his lips, Kaji nodded once before admitting, "Hmm…okay, I admit it. That's probably not the smartest thing I've said to date."

"No kidding," Misato grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"What I meant was that…maybe you can't help worrying now, but trust me, you're worrying about nothing." Kaji then moved in to clap her on the shoulder, smiling the whole time. "And when you come back to us, you'll see that everything's going to be okay." A reluctant smile tugging at her lips, Misato watched as her former lover started away, looking over his shoulder at her even as he gave her a playful salute. "We'll get through this, Katsuragi. Bet on it."

"I hope so," Misato returned glancing towards Shinji. Who was fervently hoping the same thing.

* * *

As Misato stood there, watching her former lover depart, she found herself oddly envying him. For as much as she couldn't stand Kaji at times, she couldn't help but wish that she could be as at ease with the world as he was. As utterly carefree about things. It would certainly be preferable to the torment she was experiencing as the moment she had been dreading for days finally arrived.

There was no stopping it now. The monster that lay within Misato was going to be unleashed, and there would be no sleep gas to stop it from fully emerging, no hope of retaining control. She was going to stand by and let Ritsuko bring forth the green beast, all the while Shinji stood a short distance away from her, utterly defenseless before the hulking brute.

_Why? Why do you have to be so brave?_ Misato asked herself as she looked at her ward, and seeing no fear. Shinji was worried, that much was obvious, but it was equally obvious that his concerns were not for himself, but rather for her. He was even managing to smile, all for her benefit. _What did I do…to deserve you, anyway?_

"Everything's set on our end," came Ritsuko's voice on the intercom. When Misato looked up, she saw her friend standing on the far side of the plexiglass window along with the technical personnel. All of them wearing various expressions of fearful anticipation. "Are you ready, Misato?"

_No,_ was the word Misato desperately wanted to cry out. She wanted to shout it at the top of her lungs, to make it clear that she did not want to surrender her body, her mind, her very _self _to a bludgeoning destroyer that had been spawned by the Angels she hated above all else. A monster so much like those she lived to destroy.

"Yes," was the word that she actually spoke. Leaving Misato helpless to watch as the stage was set for She-Hulk's return.

Practically feeling the beast rising up, growling in anticipation of being released once more, Misato growled back at it. _Don't you dare hurt Shinji! You got that?_

Misato didn't know if the creature heard this, or even understood it. For a moment later, a surge of electricity spun through her being, causing her to cry out as her world went white with pain...and then green with rage…

* * *

As cries of agony were torn from Misato's lips, electricity channeled into her body by the very device that was scrutinizing her on a cellular level, Shinji was frozen by what he was seeing. Part of him wanted to run up to her and comfort her, to rip the offensive probes of her body. Another wanted to run away in terror at the sight of his guardian in so much pain, knowing what that pain would unleash in her. In the end, he did nothing but watch as Misato's voice shifted from pain to hatred, as green began ripping its way through her blood, causing a beast to tear its way free of her slender form.

"Look at this! Her brainwaves are all over the place!" came Maya's voice as the technicians went about their work. Tearing his eyes from the emerging beast-woman, Shinji watched as a plate of sheet metal fell into place over the plexiglass window. "Looks like a massive sensory overload, and her…!"

"Never mind the analysis! That can wait 'til later!" Ritsuko cried out, even as Misato's form continued to shift and bulge with might. "Just focus on getting as much data as you can! I _don't_ want to have to go through this again! Not if I can help it!"

Shinji couldn't hear anything beyond that, for a massive roar cracked the air. Very nearly falling over in shock, he brought his hands to his ears as he turned back to the emerging. The transformation was nearly complete, the Misato he knew suppressed by She-Hulk, who was looking wildly at the probes that were buried in her flesh. Her emerald irises shimmering with hatred, she again roared in challenge. She then flexed her still-expanding muscles, completely ignoring whatever pain she might have be in, and in a single motion, effortlessly tore her way free of the sensory apparatus. Snarling in hatred as green washed over her skin and the transformation was completed, the jade giantess reached up for the machine, and crushed it like putty in her hands as she tore the offensive device free of the ceiling. The wounds caused by the probes already healed, she smashed the sensory device down on the ground and began pounding on it with both fists, filling the testing range with thunder.

Wincing in fear at the display of raw, unleashed violence before him, Shinji was flooded with fear. All he could do was stare at the power standing before him, unfettered by intellect, and feel his knees weakening. Every instinct urged him to flee from this beast.

However, just before instinct could take hold of him, four words once again repeated in his mind. _I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away…_

As these words repeated themselves in his mind, over and over again, Shinji stood there watching as the creature delivered a final crushing blow to the machine, which now resembled nothing more than a metallic pancake. Growling deep in her throat at the ruined mechanism, She-Hulk appeared to settle down somewhat, having satisfied herself that she had paid the machine back for hurting her.

_That's Misato, _Shinji reminded himself once again, forcing himself to look directly at her face, to see his guardian's likeness beneath the green skin and untamed fury. Something that became the Major's own likeness becoming easier to see as the beast stepped away from the shattered device. _That's Misato, remember? She won't hurt you. She'd _never_ hurt you…_

While Shinji was struggling to squelch his fears through sheer force of will, the mighty beast-woman snorted loudly as she examined her current surroundings. Scowling in distaste, as if annoyed to have woken up in such a small place, She-Hulk began looking suggestively at the wall, like she considering putting a new door in it.

"Shinji, get in there! Quickly!" Ritsuko's voice came again, causing She-Hulk to look about in confusion. "These walls won't last ten seconds against her!"

Now completely stirred from his stupor, Shinji straightened himself up. While the beast that had once been his guardian still looked about, trying to spot the source of the unseen voice, he gulped once before taking a tentative step forward. "M-Misato…?" he stammered out, suffering a qualm or two as the monster shifted her wrathful gaze towards him. "Do you…remember me?"

For a couple seconds, She-Hulk looked questioningly at the boy. After a couple seconds, the anger in her eyes faded somewhat, allowing recognition to be seen in them. "Shinji…" she got out, turning towards him. Frozen with both fear and anticipation, the boy just stood there as she came closer, his eyes taking in every detail of her transformed self. The blue medical gown that had once hung loosely about Misato's slender frame was now filled to capacity by She-Hulk's by the tremendous orbs, which enjoyed considerable support by the enormous pectoral muscles beneath them. He could see several small tears inflicted during the course of her transformation, and as she approached him, her every movement caused even more seams to burst open, revealing even more green flesh.

_Oh…oh, wow…_ Shinji gulped loudly as the gown continued to deteriorate. On one level, he was afraid that it would fall apart completely, but at the same time, there was another, deeper part of himself that was excited by that possibility. That _wanted _to see to see She-Hulk rip free of the pitiful rags that were straining to conceal her mighty form. And as this impulse registered with his conscious mind, he winced inwardly and thought, _Ugh…I think I'm turning into Kensuke…_

While Shinji was working to keep these more shameful impulses constrained, the creature that inspired came to stop before him. Craning his head as far back as he could, he watched as she knelt down slightly…and caressed his face with her surprisingly gentle hand, a slight smile appearing on her face.

Sighing in relief at this reassurance that Misato was still inside of the creature, Shinji took hold of She-Hulk's hand. "Misato," he got out, his heart a swirling mix of conflicting emotions as he stared at the beast-woman. Gulping again as his heart pounded, dangerous temptations warring with guilt and shame, he sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to clear his mind. To remember that he wasn't there just to provide her with comfort, to keep her from trying to escape.

Shinji had a job to do. And he would do anything he could…to bring Misato home.

"Listen, Misato?" Shinji finally spoke up. Cocking her head to the side, the creature looked intently at him as he told her, "I…need you do some…things for me." She-Hulk grunted lightly at this, even as he placed his other hand on her own more massive green one. "Just…follow me, okay?"

* * *

Letting out a distinctive sigh of relief, Ritsuko looked at the holographic display screens before her. Watching as Shinji led She-Hulk towards the first of the devices littering the testing range, the jade giantess following him as obediently as a young puppy. _That's one hurdle down, _the faux-blonde thought, her own legs feeling weak from this brush with potential disaster. _If that thing had hurt Shinji…!_

"Oh, man…!" Shigeru grinned as he stared goggle-eyed at green behemoth that had taken Misato's place. "And I thought the Major was pretty before?"

"Yeah! Talk about awesome!" Makoto gawked, one big grin as two trickles of blood ran down from his nose. "And that transformation…!"

"Tell me about it! The Major's act is even better than all those girls at that club downtown!" Shigeru decided, even as Makoto nodded in complete agreement. "You know, the one where the girls are all in cages, and then they -!"

Both Shigeru and Makoto were interrupted when two fists with veins popping out of them came crashing down upon their heads, causing their eyes to pop of their sockets. When the fists were withdrawn, two huge lumps were already sprouting from their heads. With tears already running down their cheeks, the two Lieutenants turned in their seats to find Maya staring at them with disgust. "You two are _sick!"_ she declared emphatically, her fists steaming from her wrathful strikes. "Giggling over the Major when she's going through all this? What is _wrong _with you two, anyway?"

"Huh?" Shigeru and Makoto gaped, staring at Maya like she had been the one to turn green.

"Now, you two better cut it out, or _I'll clobber the both of you!_" their new Captain raged, holding up one fist for emphasis.

"Maya, boys, please act your age," Ritsuko ordered them, despite privately enjoying the comeuppance the two males had just gotten, as well the momentary diversion from her inner turmoil. "They're almost to the first machine."

"Um…right, sir," Shigeru replied, wincing in pain as he and the other two got back to business.

True to Ritsuko's words, Shinji had just led She-Hulk to the first of many machines. It was fairly large, with a padded panel sticking out from the front. Putting her earlier fears and concerns aside for the moment, embracing her role as a scientist, the doctor found herself smiling as She-Hulk stood in front of what was essentially a glorified, high-tech punching machine. _Okay, Misato…let's see what your high score is._

"Uh…okay, Misato," Shinji got out as he pointed at the machine, indicated the big, red bull's-eye someone had painted on it. "I…need you to punch that thing. Right there. As hard as you can."

Looking from Shinji to the padded target and back, She-Hulk frowned somewhat. "Smash?"

"Uh, yeah! Smash it!" Shinji responded, smiling nervously. Never once looking away from She-Hulk, he took a boxing stance and fired few mock punches at the target. "Smash it like that. As hard as you can."

_That's right. Go ahead and give it all you got!_ Ritsuko thought, mentally urging her transmuted friend even as She-Hulk once again frowned, as if wondering why Shinji wanted this machine smashed. But after a moment or so, she seemed to decide the question was irrelevant. Shinji wanted the thing smashed, and that was as good a reason as any. So, with one more look at the boy, a look that was met by one of pure encouragement, the creature looked at the target, snarled as she reared back with her first, and fired off a devastating punch, filled with all the muscle the creature had.

Driven by the most powerful muscles in the world, She-Hulk's fist drove the target straight _through _the punching machine, causing it to rip through the metal and fly out the other side. The air was filled with a metallic shrieking as the machine was torn partly free of the floor, half-crumpled by the force of the blow.

Despite knowing how powerful the creature was, Ritsuko and the others were still jolted backward by this display of raw, savage strength. Pausing to glance down at the numbers filling the screen, the MAGI already working to process the information gathered, the doctor looked back up at She-Hulk as she snarled, infuriated by the noise made by the ruined machine. Deciding that the nasty machine Shinji wanted smashed hadn't been smashed _enough,_ the green-skinned beast quickly jumped and fell upon the punching machine, where she proceeded to tear it apart with her bare hands.

Wincing in pain and covering her ears as She-Hulk tore apart untold yens' worth of machinery, Ritsuko watched as Shinji mirrored her action. "Akagi-san…what should I do now?" Shinji wondered aloud, even as he stood fascinated by the sight of power personified.

"Wait for her to settle down a bit, and then lead her to the next test," Ritsuko instructed helplessly. "It's all you really can do."

"Um…right," Shinji answered, never once looking away as Misato crumpled the punching machine until it was nothing more than scrap to be melted down and recycled.

Slowly, She-Hulk's ire cooled, and the beast-woman stepped away from the shattered machine, seemingly satisfied that it would not be bothering anyone again. She then looked at Shinji, and grinned wickedly. "Smashed."

"Uh, yeah. You sure…smashed it good, Misato. Great work," Shinji responded as she came closer. Once again, the boy took her hand in his own, which the creature held firmly, but clearly not so much as to cause pain or injury. "Now…there's some other stuff I'd…like for you to do. Okay?" When the creature gave a slight nod of affirmation, Shinji smiled gratefully. "Okay. Now…just follow me."

Once again, She-Hulk followed the boy perfectly obediently, to where a large, thick metal pole sat upon the floor, with perfect orbs on each end, each resting in a specially built receptacle. Doing exactly as Ritsuko had instructed him, he released his hold of the she-beast's hand, and carefully bent down and picked up the pole. "Here, Misato…could you please hold this for me?" Shinji asked, straining beneath the weight of the metal even as held the pole up to her.

She-Hulk looked at the rod in Shinji's hand, but seemed to have no reason not to do as the boy asked. Taking the pole in her own hands, she lifted it up effortlessly, examining the object Shinji wanted her help to hold…only to grunt in surprise when Maya flicked a switch, activating the high-powered electro-magnets that were beneath the floor.

"Come on, Misato! Hold on!" Shinji urged her, even as the electro-magnets beneath the floor increased their pull on the iron orbs at the ends of the pole, momentarily pulling her off balance. But She-Hulk quickly recovered, and snarled as she tightened her grip. She was a creature of instinct and limited intelligence, and so interpreted the sudden increase in weight in the only she could; as a challenge. Something was fighting her for the rod, even though she couldn't see it. So she responded by fighting back, her biceps bulging with might as she continued to hold the pole up.

Tearing her eyes away from the contest of power, Ritsuko examined the data coming from the sensors, as well as steadily increasing power being put out by the magnets. Watching the various readouts and studying the activity in the green behemoth's musculature, her eyes went wide as she grinned despite herself. "These readings are _incredible!_" she finally got out, staggered by the reality before her. "The Evas are _worthless _by comparison!"

"Yeah! And she's…she's getting even stronger! Muscle mass is continuing to increase!" Makoto gaped, staring in awe at his own displays. "But…how is this even possible?"

"I have no idea how this is happening," Ritsuko admitted, trying to digest the information shown before her. "I just hope the MAGI can figure it out." Once again looking at one of the monitors before her, the doctor then turned to her former understudy. "Maya, turn up the electro-magnets up to maximum power. Let's put that thing to a _real _test!"

"Right, sempai!" Maya smiled in return, seeming more at ease as she did her duty. With practiced ease, the brunette twisted the knob controlling the power output, and sent the magnets to their maximum tolerances. Once again, She-Hulk was taken somewhat by surprise by the weight increase, but this did not last long. She easily recovered, gritting her teeth as she continued to lift the pole upwards. Grinning in amazement as the creature continued to fight back, Ritsuko continued to look onwards in awe…only to frown at an ominous, metallic creaking.

"What the…?" Shinji asked as he searched for the source of the noise. He first looked at the pole in the She-Hulk's hands. However, while it was clearly bending somewhat, it didn't seem to be the cause of the noise. Then, as the creaking increased, Shinji looked down at the floor, just as Ritsuko and her team did the same, and saw two bulges appear in it.

"Oh, _shit…!"_ Ritsuko grimaced, having just figured out what was about to happen. Over the course of assembling the testing range and all of its equipment, the tech crews had tested the strength of the pole many times over, just to make sure it wouldn't snap under pressure. They had tested the magnets, just to make sure they could hold up under maximum power. However, it was quickly becoming clear that no one had thought to check to see how well the magnets were anchored within the floor.

"Shut off the power!" Ritsuko ordered, even as the bulges continued to grow beneath the floor. _"Turn it off right -!"_ The doctor was cut off as one final shriek let them all know that they were too late. Before everyone's eyes, two massive chunks of machinery erupted out of the floor and leapt at the pole, attaching themselves to spheroid tips. She-Hulk was catapulted backwards; after having using so much strength to win her war, she was unprepared for the sudden impact of the two magnets, and was sent to the floor, the pole still in her hands.

"Misato! Are you alright?" Shinji bleated fearfully. Only to have his fears assuaged when She-Hulk growled her displeasure, leapt to her feet, and looked at the stupid machines that had fallen to the floor after their power had been cut off. Machines that were the obvious culprit in trying to take the pole from her, machines that had actually tried to _attack _her.

"SMASH!" She-Hulk roared, raising up the pole before she proceeded to bludgeon the two magnets into a condition similar to the one she had left the punching machine in.

As Ritsuko and the technicians looked onwards, Shigeru winced at every impact the magnets suffered. "Well…there goes the auxiliary budget…"

* * *

After several more tests, most of which resulted in even more top-end machinery between reduced to scrap suitable only for recycling, Shinji carefully led She-Hulk back to the small apartment that had been set up for her. "That's right…just follow me…" he told the green beast, once again in awe that such a mighty being would obey him so unquestioningly.

As the two figures entered the small apartment, She-Hulk looked at her new surroundings, seemingly confused by the sudden change in her environs. However, the warm colors and furniture served to spark warm memories within Misato. Comfort, peace…home. A place where she belonged. These were the images this place suggested to She-Hulk, and as she looked around, she slowly, visibly relaxed.

Shinji saw this shift in her posture and attitude, and smiled in relief. "Well, Misato…you sure had a busy day, huh?" the boy asked rhetorically as he went to the kitchen. "I bet…you're thirsty, huh? Would you like something to drink?"

Almost laughing as the massive green woman's eyes shot towards him, Shinji knew that he was correct. Constantly smiling, Shinji opened up the refrigerator, and with a bit of effort, dragged out one of the kegs of Yebisu that had been placed inside. "Here you go," Shinji spoke, setting the keg down on the counter. Smiling at the sight of her favorite flavor of alcohol, She-Hulk quickly took the keg in hand, almost crushing it her eagerness as she peeled it open.

Meanwhile, Ritsuko was wiping her brow free of the sweat she had been working up during the testing period. "Well, we're almost there," she sighed as the end came within sight, relief weakening her knees. Despite her opinions of Misato's drinking, she felt more and more relaxed as She-Hulk chugged down the contents of the keg, letting out a distorted version of her usual cry of delight. "One or two more of those, and she'll be calm enough to…"

Then the doctor almost had a heart attack. The green beast had just tossed away the emptied keg, and was looking towards Shinji. He was puttering about in the refrigerator, wondering what he should make for dinner, completely unaware that She-Hulk was moving up behind him. Before anyone could think to warn him, two massive green hands had wrapped about his frame, and were lifting him into the air.

"_Omigod!" _Maya panicked as She-Hulk turned Shinji about so that he was looking her in the face. "Sempai! The sleeping gas…!"

"No! Wait!" Ritsuko cautioned, negating the Captain's move with an outstretched hand. Maya and the two techies looked at her in mystification before returning their gazes to the monitors…and having their terror shift to wonderment.

"Shinji-kun…" She-Hulk cooed gently as she drew boy in even closer. His body was soon sandwiched between her massive breasts, even as she gently growled, rubbing her cheek against his own.

At this display of undisguised affection, the doctor and her team slowly settled down. "Whew…" Ritsuko got out, even as the She-Hulk continued to hug and cuddle the boy.

"I guess he's alright. Right, sempai?" Maya asked, her fears dangerously close to the surface.

"Right," Ritsuko got out, heaving another sigh of relief. _I'm _definitely _getting too old for this._

"Aw, man!" Shigeru grumbled as Makoto turned green with envy, rather than radiation. "That kid doesn't know how lucky he is!"

Her brow wrinkling with disgust, Ritsuko glowered at the two hormonal techs. "Boys," she growled even as Maya mirrored her motion, "don't make me kill you."

* * *

Back in Misato's quarters, Shinji felt like his heart was going to explode right out of his chest at any second.

It had started thundering in his ears the instant he had felt She-Hulk's about his waist, and done so with even greater force when she had picked him and cradled him to her. His face had turned red when she began cuddling him, and with that, some of his old fear of contact, physical or otherwise had returned to him.

However, as Shinji remained suspended above the floor, at the mercy of Misato's gamma-enhanced assets, he felt himself growing calmer as well. _What am I doing?_ Misato's voice rang in his mind even as She-Hulk continued to caress his face with her cheek. _I'm kissing the kindest, bravest, most wonderful young man I've ever met!_

The instant this memory lit up his mind, Shinji let out a choked gasp, tears appearing in his eyes. _She…she really thinks of me that way…_ he thought as he laid his head down to rest upon She-Hulk's shoulder, wrapping his arms about her neck. _She…really does care…she…she…_

As he lost the ability to form coherent thought in the face of the intense emotions that were surging through him, Shinji surrendered to his own feelings, and held onto the massive green figure as if he would never let go. Then he heard a quizzical growl, and looked up to see She-Hulk, and more importantly, Misato within her looking at him, a slight frown curling her lips. "Shinji?" she murmured, raising her hand to his face. Unafraid, he didn't move as she brushed his cheek with her finger, and came away wet with his tears. "Shinji…sad?"

"Huh?" Shinji gasped, looking from his tears to the creature with Misato's face, a face that was creasing with sadness. "Uh, no. No! That's…I'm not…" he fumbled out, not sure what to say to stave off the unhappiness. Then he sighed, shaking his head as his emotions got on top of him, and finally sank forward into her arms again. "I'm sorry, Misato. I…!"

"Shinji-kun," the creature murmured, cradling him even more tightly to herself. As he once again lost himself in the warmth of her embrace, She-Hulk began walking. Shinji couldn't tell where she was going, nor did he even care. He was being held by someone who really and truly cared for him, something he had almost forgotten in the time in which she had been caged within NERV. Feelings that he had first felt on the Day of Destruction, when Misato's powerful other had kept the world away from him Spirit, returned to him then, stronger and more wonderful than before.

As Shinji drowned himself in these sensations, he was brought back to the moment when he felt his center of gravity shift. Looking up from She-Hulk's shoulder, he saw that she wasn't falling, but instead reclining on the massive sofa Ritsuko and her people had set up. Initially concerned that it wouldn't be able to support the huge woman, he held his breath as she lay back, the cushions sagging beneath her. Fortunately, the sofa was up to the task of supporting her weight, and she smiled happily as she shifted her massive form on it, making herself more comfortable.

_I guess I should have realized Akagi-san would have these things built to be able to handle her,_ Shinji thought, already imagining the fury She-Hulk would have unleashed on her furniture should it have proven to not be able to hold up beneath her.

Glad that he didn't have to worry about that, Shinji returned his focus to the giantess whom was holding him, feeling her hand running through his hair. Sighing heavily, he pushed himself up enough so as to be able to look her in the face, to see the smile that was so easy to recognize as Misato's. "Thank you," he murmured aloud as he shifted, seeking a more comfortable position. As he did so, he found himself sliding into something that was large, round, and very firm and supple.

"Oh!" Shinji yelped, instantly realizing what exactly he was resting against. Quickly glancing to confirm that he was indeed practically lying on top of one of her breasts, he quickly looked back at She-Hulk, who was frowning her confusion. "Uh, sorry!" he apologized, already trying to shift himself away from the mountainous mound, only to yelp in dismay as his motions succeeded in ripping the already-strained medical gown even more. Before his eyes, a large tear was forming in the flimsy fabric covering her breast, and while nothing forbidden had yet to be exposed, Shinji knew that he had to do something lest he make a situation that already bordered on awkward that much worse. "Uh, sorry, Misato!" he quickly apologized, turning to look the jade giantess in the face. "I didn't mean to…I…I…"

His tongue falling flat in his mouth, Shinji realized that the titanic female didn't look the slight bit annoyed. Instead, another of Misato's smiles, one of a more teasing variety, curled She-Hulk's lips. "I…" Shinji began again, unsure of what to say. "I didn't mean to…maybe I should just…" As he trailed off once more, he looked up to see She-Hulk chuckling lowly, clearly amused by his embarrassment.

Cudgeling his brain for some graceful way out of getting out of this situation, Shinji watched as She-Hulk's impish smile turned into an even more impish grin. "Uh…Misato?" he wondered as she brought her finger up to the hem of the strained gown, and tugged at it ever so slightly. Realizing what she was implying, Shinji felt his cheeks burn bright red. "Uh, no, no! I mean, you don't have to – I wasn't trying to – that is, I -!"

She-Hulk chuckled again, and then she pulled at the gown, instantly dooming it. In one easy motion, she tore the simple garment right down the center, allowing her breasts to rise up to the air unconstrained. Gulping loudly at the sight of the immense orbs, which he had only seen before either in darkness or from a considerable distance, Shinji immediately forced himself, to look up and away from them, and found himself looking into green version of Misato's teasing face.

"Shinji like?" the emerald Amazon asked, her primitive voice laced with naughty delight.

Again, Shinji gulped, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, he simply had no idea of what to do, and some of his original concerns about physical contact came back. But at the same time, despite the more extreme nature of She-Hulk's action, it still had all the flavor of Misato's playful teasing. Something he had found himself dearly missing in the time since she had imprisoned within NERV.

For a long time, Shinji hovered on top of the massive beast-woman, his entire body frozen and reacting to the presence of just so much woman in ways he really didn't want to think about. But slowly, after what felt like an eternity, he found himself relaxing again. This wasn't the first time he had seen his guardian naked, whether as herself or as She-Hulk, and the warmth of her embrace was still with him, urging him to settle down.

And he missed her. There was simply no getting around it. Shinji missed Misato. He missed having her around the apartment, he missed her teasing ways, her playfulness, all of. And now, not only did he have them back, but he was being given something more. He was being embraced, held, and reassured that someone loved him.

_Why? Why didn't Misato ever do this before?_ Shinji found himself wondering as he slowly allowed himself to relax, to let his Misato act through She-Hulk's body and once again hold him tight. Returning her embrace and resting his head next to hers, feeling her firm, coiled muscles beneath him. _Was it because she was so busy, or because…she didn't think I would want her to do this? That I didn't want her to hold me, or…?_

His train of thought breaking up, Shinji found that he simply didn't have the answers to these questions. And as he lay there, warm and worn from the trials and fears and concerns of that day, he gave up trying to find the answers. Instead, he let a slight yawn escape his lips and closed his eyes. Unaware of the slight trickle of blood that was making its way down from his nose…

* * *

As Misato slowly made her way back to consciousness, the first thing she became aware of was that there was something on top of her. Something fairly large and heavy.

Groaning slightly as she rolled her head this way and that, Misato blinked her eyes several times, clearing them enough for her to be able to see the ceiling of her current home. _Aw…damn…what the…?_ she thought groggily as she craned her neck up, only to groan in pain as her body ached in protest. _Great. Must've slept the wrong way or something._

Annoyed and realizing that she was going to be aching for a while, Misato tried to get up in a way that wouldn't exacerbate the kink she had worked into her neck. An effort that was promptly foiled when a familiar voice said, "Welcome back, Misato." Jolted with surprise, Misato instantly swiveled her head about, and winced as she saw Ritsuko standing right next to her, a wan smile ghosting her features. "I was wondering when you'd wake up."

"Rits?" Misato started, frowning heavily. "What are you…?" Then her eyes and mouth flung open as her memories came back to her. Memories of their preparations for the tests that morning, and that last moment of pain when her savage alter ego had sent her plummeting into the depths of her mind. And with that, she looked wildly about, and gasped when she realized what exactly was lying prone on top of her. "Shinji!"

"Don't worry, he's okay," Ritsuko quickly assured her. "The two of you decided to take a little nap, that's all." With that, the doctor bent over and gently shook the boy by the shoulder. "C'mon, Shinji. Time to get up."

"Huh?" came the boy's groggy response. "Uh…Akagi-san." Shifting about in a fashion that indicated that he had picked up a kink or two of his own, he slowly picked himself and looked at Misato in the eye. "Oh, Misato, you're -"

_"Shinji!"_ Misato shrieked. Flinging herself upright, she grabbed him by the shoulders _"Oh, God, you're bleeding!"_

"Huh?" Shinji squeaked out as Misato focused on the hideous red blotch that stained his face. "Wh-what are you -?"

"Misato, _no!_" Ritsuko broke in, grabbing the frantic woman by her wrist. "It's not what you think! Just calm down, and I'll -!"

_"What did she do to him?"_ Misato wailed, all of her worst fears confirmed. The monster within her had attacked Shinji, _she _had attacked Shinji, she had hurt him, and -!

"No, no, Misato! It's okay!" Shinji cried out, waving his hands in negation. Both women quickly focused on him as he hastily wiped away the hideous red blotch. "You didn't hurt me! Honest!"

"That's right, Misato!" Ritsuko told her firmly and gently. "She-Hulk was just cuddling Shinji, and he wound up with a nosebleed! That's it!"

Blinking several times in rapid succession, barely able to believe she had just heard what she had heard, Misato opened and closed her mouth, trying to get something coherent out. "A…a nosebleed?" she finally managed to repeat, looking blankly from Ritsuko to Shinji. "Just…a…?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm…I'm sorry, Misato," Shinji told her, his fear evaporating and leaving him to look at her shamefacedly. "It was an accident. I…I didn't mean to scare you, so…so please don't…"

A nosebleed. A simple, harmless nosebleed. That was all it had been. She-Hulk hadn't attacked Shinji, hadn't hurt him or anything like that. It was just a nosebleed, like so many others Misato had teasingly inspired him. Nothing more than that.

"Oh, _God!"_ Misato gasped, wrapping her arms about Shinji and clutching him tightly to her. The sudden rush of fear leaving her shaken to the core, desperate to reassure herself that he was alright. "Oh, Shinji, if that thing had done anything to you, I…!"

"But…you didn't, Misato! Nothing happened!" Shinji replied, returning her embrace. "I'm okay, Misato! I…nothing happened, so please…I'm sorry, I…!"

Misato didn't listen to him. She heard his words, but she didn't really focus on them. All that mattered to her, all she really cared about, was that Shinji was safe. That the worst-case scenario she had envisioned had never come to pass. And she wanted to prove it to herself. She needed to feel him in her arms, safe and whole. She wanted to hear his voice and know that she had not doomed him. She wanted to hug and cuddle and let him know how sorry she was that he had to risk his life for her sake. "You're okay…" she muttered, holding him as tightly as she could. "Thank goodness you're okay…"

"Uh…well, yeah. Of course I'm okay, Misato," Shinji assured her. "I…I told you that…that you'd never hurt me."

"That's right. In fact, we _all _told you that at some point or another," Ritsuko chimed in, invoking her ever-irritating 'I'm smarter than you' voice. Glowering at the doctor and seriously considering giving her the one-fingered salute, Misato sat there as her friend added, "In fact, why don't I bring up the video log of the evaluation? That way, you can see for yourself that Shinji wasn't in any danger. Okay?"

Still a bit confused and uncertain, Misato glanced at Shinji, who was still alright. Still whole and unhurt, and most of all, unafraid of her or her monstrous other. "Uh…okay, sure." Then she glanced apologetically at her ward, and told him, "Uh, Shinji, no offense, but…"

"Hmm? Oh, right! Sorry!" Shinji promptly apologized before scrambling off.

As soon as Shinji was off, Misato smiled her thanks and sat up…and immediately gaped in dismay. "What the -?" she squawked as she found herself looking at her bare bust, which was plainly visibly beneath the tattered remains of her medical gown. "What the heck happened?"

"Uh, yeah. That," Shinji blushed even as Ritsuko chuckled humorlessly. "Sorry, Misato. It…well…I guess…She-Hulk thought it was…too tight, and…"

"Too tight?" Misato repeated incredulously, recalling the fit of the gown earlier and how it felt like she was wearing a tent. "Just how big does this thing get, anyway?"

"Pretty big, actually," Ritsuko admitted with a wry curl to her lip. "Look, why don't you get changed into something a bit less…revealing. Then I'll show you everything that happened."

"Uh…right. Good idea," Misato replied, once again glancing down at her own chest. Shaking her head, she quickly retreated to her bedroom.

As she shut the door behind her, already shedding the tattered gown, Misato couldn't help but overhear Shinji say, "Uh…Akagi-san? While we're waiting, would it be okay if I…got cleaned up?"

"Of course it'd be okay," Ritsuko returned easily. "I'm just sorry I didn't think to clean the blood up before Misato woke up."

"Huh? I wasn't talking about the blood, I…" Shinji promptly cut himself off, and Misato could have sworn that she could almost see him blushing as he sputtered out, "Uh…n-never mind. I'll…just get cleaned up now. Okay?" Then the boy was heard darting away, and despite herself and everything that had happened, Misato couldn't help but smile.

* * *

A short time later, Shinji and Misato sat in her living room, along with Ritsuko and Kaji. Watching intently as the recording of the evaluation session played out, but not all of them watching it.

Misato could watch nothing _but _the recording, and as Shinji paused to glance at her, he knew that she was studying every action of her brutish alter ego. Searching for even the slightest hint that she would attack Shinji, any indication that her fears were indeed valid. All the while he, along with Ritsuko and Kaji, were watching Misato's various reactions to her other self's actions. At how she sighed when the creature began nuzzling his cheek with her hand, and how she readily went along with him, doing everything he asked. How she winced in dismay at her violent reaction to some of the tests, and even chuckling at how She-Hulk had been knocked on her butt by the magnets. And then they watched as the jade destroyer took Shinji in her arms and started cuddling him, prompting her to sigh in relief, only for her to wince at the free show She-Hulk gave Shinji, as well as his resulting nosebleed.

"And that's all that happened," Ritsuko commented as the video wound to a close, with both boy and beast falling asleep. "She-Hulk never even came close to attacking Shinji. All she really wanted to do was cuddle and play with him."

"Not to mention give him a free show," Kaji commented easily. "I must say, you're a lucky guy, Shinji. Not too many guys get such a wonderful view, you know."

A nervous sound escaped Shinji's lips as his throat clenched, for the last thing he really wanted to do was think about that moment. A moment that had filled him with impulses and temptations that he really didn't like dwelling on, and caused his body to react in ways that had very nearly resulted in extreme humiliation.

Still unable to believe the mess that his body had created, or the difficulty he had in cleaning it up so that it wouldn't be noticeable, Shinji was so caught in his embarrassment that he almost missed it when Misato growled, "Kaji, do yourself a favor, and don't piss me off right now." He then watched as she smiled dangerously and added, "Cause even though She-Hulk might not want to hurt Shinji, I know we can't say the same thing about you."

Taking the hint and taking a step back, Kaji allowed Ritsuko to approach. "I take it that you're satisfied that She-Hulk isn't a threat to Shinji, then?"

Misato frowned, seeming to consider her answer before giving it. "I'm satisfied that she wouldn't _intentionally_ attack him, Rits," she told them in a measured voice. "But there's a big difference between that and her not being a danger to Shinji. Or anyone else, for that matter."

"We know that, Misato. Believe me, we're all aware of the risks," Ritsuko quickly assured her. "But at least you can be sure that She-Hulk wouldn't deliberately endanger Shinji or any of us, right?"

"Yeah, Misato. It's okay," Shinji quickly assured her. "You're not a monster. And…neither is she."

Pressing her lips together, Misato again paused in consideration. "Maybe. But I'll still feel a lot better once you manage to get her out of me!"

"Now _there's_ something you won't hear any argument from me about!" Kaji chimed in before turning towards NERV's Head Scientist. "And on that note…did we learn anything interesting about big, mean, and green today, Ritsy-poo? Other than she's not exactly safe around delicate electronics?"

"Actually, yes," Ritsuko informed them as she held up her clipboard. "The MAGI recorded a great deal of information during those tests. And while it's going to take some time to process most of the data, there are a few things that I can tell you right now."

"Oh? Like what?" Misato asked, leaning in closer to her friend, her eyes intense with interest.

"Well, for starters, we found out how She-Hulk was able to go toe-to-toe with Spirit, and walk away without so much as a scratch," Ritsuko stated. Wincing as a shadow crossed Misato's face, the doctor went on with her explanation. "An analysis of your mutated tissues revealed that your physio-molecular structure had become distended, and reinforced with Angelic energy and gamma radiation alike."

"Distended?" Misato repeated, the wheels turning in her mind. "You mean like the 8th Angel, and how its body reacted to the heat of the volcano?"

"That's correct. Although the actual mechanics are clearly different, the result is almost the same. Except that, unless I'm mistaken, She-Hulk's body is even more impervious to harm," Ritsuko told her, taking a moment to pace about as she explained. "According to our readings, it would take something harder than diamonds and stronger than titanium to penetrate that thing's skin, even temporarily! Even a prog knife would be useless against it! And given what we've seen of its metabolism and physiology, even if this thing were injured, the damage would heal almost instantaneously."

"Really?" Shinji gaped, his face becoming a picture of awe.

"Yes," Ritsuko nodded, warming to the subject. "Also, it seems that She-Hulk's body is capable of continuously upgrading itself, with her strength increasing in proportion to the amount of opposition she's facing, as well as the level of adrenaline in her system."

"In other words…the madder she gets, the stronger she gets?" Misato murmured, growing more and more astonished. When Ritsuko nodded to this, the Major looked about for a few seconds before once again returning her gaze to the doctor. "Rits…are you saying that…this thing can't be killed?"

"Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far," Ritsuko replied, stepping back as she spoke. "You still need to breathe in that state, so you'd still be vulnerable to oxygen deprivation. And certainly, if this creature were to take a catastrophic level of damage…"

"Define catastrophic," Misato demanded, her features hardening in a no-nonsense look.

Shinji just kept looking from one woman to the next as the doctor sighed and began giving examples. "The sun going nova would do it…a mountain range falling on this creature's head…being sent to the bottom of the deepest part of the oceans…maybe?"

Frowning intently, Misato stood up and, and looked her friend square in the eye. "Bottom-line it for me, Rits!"

Knowing this look and what it meant, Ritsuko gave a deep sigh of surrender. "Remember how it took six days for the 7th Angel to recover from being bombed with an N2 mine?" the doctor asked. When the two before her nodded, Ritsuko gave a sick smile. "Well…I'm not sure She-Hulk would even need six _minutes._"

As these words lodged themselves into Misato's mind, she sat back onto the couch, her face completely blank. Completely unaware of Shinji and Ritsuko as they looked at her in concern, Misato raised her hands up and stared them, as if trying to see the incredible power that now lay sleeping within her.

"Damn…" was the only thing Misato could say.

* * *

Author's Notes: Sorry to take so long with updating, but the holidays have been killing me! Please, read and review anyway. And I hope you'll look at my other stories as well.

Mike313, there have been a few nods to your story, yes. I hope you don't mind.

Anyway, I think it's time for some fun. Excelsior!

Omake 1

"Ah, what a day!" Arsene Lupin III commented as he sat back in his lounge chair. He and his associates, Daisuke Jigen, Goeman Ishikawa XIII, and Fujiko Mine were relaxing after pulling off a major heist, enjoying cocktails and generally celebrating their latest escape from the law.

"Tell me about it," Daisuke commented, tipping his hat back a bit. "Fifty million dollars, just like that! I never thought it would that simple."

"Nor would I," Goeman seconded, a serious expression on his face.

"Which means that a serious shopping trip might be in order. Right, Fujiko?" Lupin commented, shouldering up to his lust in life.

"Right. And since when have you ever bought anything when you could just steal it?" Fujiko wondered, looking away in disdain.

As Lupin grinned helplessly, a feminine voice broke in. "Excuse me. Is this seat taken?"

As the notorious thief turned to look in the direction of the voice's his owner, he was greeted by the sight of amazingly beautiful woman with purple hair, wearing sunglasses and a skimpy red bikini that couldn't even hope to hide her figure. Stunned, Lupin's tongue hung out of his mouth before Fujiko smacked him over the head. Recovering from the blow and hormonal shock, Lupin returned his attention to the woman. "Of course not! Please, feel free to join us!"

"Thank you," the woman smiled seductively as she sat down beside them, lowering her sunglasses just enough to reveal gentle brown eyes. "I feel like…I've been looking for you for a long time…"

As Lupin proceeded to drool, his expression turned from lustful to surprise as the woman's eyes shifted from brown to green…

* * *

"There!" She-Hulk growled as she finished wrapping a streetlight around Lupin, the thief one huge mass of bumps and bruises that would only grow larger. She then sat him down next to his associates, who had had deck chairs, umbrellas, and other items wrapped about them, and all of them bore heavy injuries. "That'll teach you to try and pull a fast one on me!"

"Excellent work, Major Katsuragi!" Inspector Zenigata grinned as he looked at the towering green Amazon, dangling four sets of handcuffs from his hands in ready anticipation. "Thank you so much for your assistance in capturing these felons!"

"After this loser stole my car? Trust me, Inspector, it was a _pleasure!"_ She-Hulk answered with a hateful grin. "And as if that wasn't bad enough, he reminds me of my ex-boyfriend! What a creep!"

"Well, it looks like she's got _you_ pegged," Fujiko noted, wincing in agony as she glared hatefully at Lupin.

"Oh, man! Done in by a beautiful woman!" Lupin groaned, his jaw already locking in position from all of the swelling. "Who'd have of thought this would ever happen?"

"We did!" his three associates grumbled, even as Inspector Zenigata gladly handcuffed them all.

(Author's Note: In Mike313's story, "Altered Destinies", he had Lupin steal Misato's car in one of his omakes. Given how much I _hate_ that creep, having She-Hulk get revenge on him seemed like a good idea. 'Nuff said.)

Omake 2

"Hoo, boy…" Misato smiled, letting out a small belch as she staggered about her present apartment. "I have to admit…She-Hulk may not have any brains, but she sure knows how to party!"

"By party, I take it you mean boozing herself sick with enough Yebisu for a small army?" Ritsuko asked, to which the Major giggled madly. "Honestly, I still can't believe this! Where'd that thing put it all, anyway?"

"Who knows? Who cares?" Misato asked nonchalantly. "Hey, it's all in the name of keeping that thing from turning Tokyo-3 to scrap, right? So why not enjoy it?"

"But Misato…how the hell are we supposed to afford so much beer?" Ritsuko asked incredulously. "Our budget is already in the red from all the machinery that thing's wrecked!"

"Don't worry, Rits!" Misato smiled, blushing as she waved her friend's concerns away. "I've already taken care of that!"

"Really? How?" Ritsuko wondered.

* * *

"I don't believe this," Gendo muttered as he looked at the bill in his hand.

"Believe it, pal!" retorted bill collector before him at the door of his sprawling estate. "The lady told my bosses to send the bill here! So here it is!"

Frowning as he looked from the bill to the man who had brought it, and then back, Gendo grumbled. _If it weren't for the fact that this is the only thing keeping her from destroying NERV and my scenario, I'd dump her in a volcano!_

Taking a deep breath, Gendo returned his attention to the man before him. "Very well…I'll have a check written up for you."

"Fine by me," the collector responded. "Are you going to do the same with the others?"

"Others?" Gendo repeated before he looked past the collector…only to gawk in horror at the small army of similar collectors, all from various beer companies.

"I hope you got a second mortgage, pal, because I think you're gonna need it!" the bill collector advised…just before Gendo fainted dead from shock.


	11. She Hulk SMASH!

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 11: She-Hulk SMASH!

Red. Everywhere Gendo looked, he saw red. An ocean that was the red of blood, and a sky that was the color of death. And everything he saw, filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction.

Ignoring the wind as it blew through the empty ocean, nothing more than a pale shadow of the Arctic cold that had once been, Gendo surveyed the fleet that was under his command. Another sign of the position of power that was his, won by years of hard work and scheming. An acknowledgement of the knowledge he possessed by going where those who currently deemed to hand him orders wouldn't dare. And thus making him the only man capable of quickly and efficiently securing their prize, which lay on the deck of the ship he was on, covered by a large tarp.

_Soon,_ Gendo thought, picturing the prize that was to be his. _Very soon, my Yui…_

As these lovely visions of his future danced tantalizingly before him, a piece of Gendo's past and present made his presence known. "Hard to believe that this was once the living continent of Antartica," muttered Fuyutsuki, his voice heavy with harsh disdain. "Transformed by human arrogance into an ocean of death."

"Nonetheless, mankind has returned to this wasteland," Gendo returned instantly. "In the midst of death, we still survive live."

"Only because we're under the protection of our own science," Fuyutsuki countered.

"Science is what makes humanity powerful," Gendo retorted.

"That's the kind of sanctimonious overconfidence that transformed this place into Hell fifteen years ago," Fuyutsuki intoned, sounding as if he were back in his lecture hall from college. "And this is the punishment we've served upon ourselves. The true Dead Sea. And it is a punishment that was meted out to those who least deserved it."

"Wrong, sensei. The world we live in is one built upon sin," Gendo countered, actually taking a moment of pleasure in this minor debate. It was so much like the ones they had had back in the day, before he taken the name of Ikari, along with Yui's hand in marriage. "At least in this place, that sin has been purged."

"Hmph. It's better to live in a world with people, no matter how stained with sin," Fuyutsuki snorted disdainfully.

_Perhaps it is, for you, sensei,_ Gendo thought idly, opening and closing his right hand slowly. Noting the stiffness that he still felt in it. _But one way or another, this entire world will be purified. Forever._

As Gendo envisioned the perfect world that was being shaped, a voice was heard over the ship's PA system. "This is the bridge. We've just received a telex from NERV Headquarters," came the voice Gendo recognized as belonging to the ship's captain. "They've detected an Angel in orbit above the Indian Ocean."

"So, the latest Messenger had arrived," Gendo commented, pleased by this notification. Everything was unfolding according to schedule. "Excellent."

"I wouldn't be so pleased, Ikari," Fuyutsuki muttered gruffly, glaring at Gendo in distaste. "A great deal rides upon the upcoming battle. You and I both know that."

Gendo knew, just as he knew that his former teacher was implying a great deal more than he could safely say out where any ear could hear him. They both had seen the information derived from the Dead Sea Scrolls, had a rough idea as to the capabilities of each of Adam's children. It had been for this reason that Gendo and SEELE had chosen this particular time frame to launch their expedition, to ensure that he would once again escape disaster. And he also knew that there was a danger that Tokyo-3 and everything he had worked for would be destroyed.

_But that's the risk, isn't it. I've been taking risks all this time, just to claim this one chance at paradise,_ Gendo thought, again flexing his right hand. _This is just another risk. Another part of the game. All I can do is adapt, and keep playing it…until I've finally won._

* * *

_I hate my life, _was the thought that rang through Maya's mind as she stood on the bridge at NERV, wishing she could crawl under a rock and hide.

It wasn't so long ago that Maya would not have been thinking such things. When she had been just another techie, working with the equipment at NERV, helping to keep the planet safe through the work she did there, it had been a dream come true for her. The less-than-stellar pay didn't matter so much to her, because she had been doing what she loved. Everything about it challenged her mind, and she enjoyed working with the people there, especially Dr. Akagi.

But that had been when she had had the job she had signed on for, before the position of Director of Operations had been forced upon her. As glamorous as it might have sounded, Maya had quickly learned that it was quite possibly the most boring position ever invented. Day in and day out, she had been forced to deal with more paperwork than she had ever seen in her previous position. And even that wasn't as bad as dealing with the various department heads, making sure that Tokyo-3 was ready to fight at any given time. More often than not she felt like she was trying to wrangle petulant children, all of whom were determined to fight for their share of NERV's limited resources, regardless of whether or not it actually benefited anyone other than themselves. It was such a miserable, boring job, that by the end of each day, Maya was on the verge of weeping from sheer tedium alone.

But she had fought against that urge, and even borne up under her new burdens as best as she could, even finding ways of doing some of the things she loved, such as helping during the evaluation of She-Hulk's capabilities. Because as bad as her new position was, Maya knew that it could and would get worse. It had only been a matter of time before the true horror of her new responsibilities would make themselves known to her.

Only a matter of time before the 10th Angel arrived.

That time had finally arrived, leaving Maya standing on the bridge, looking at her old position, as well as the young, up-and-coming lieutenant she had personally chosen to take her place. "Uh…Lieutenant Mifune? Where's the Angel, and, uh…what's its status?"

"The 10th Angel appeared just a few minutes ago, Captain," Chihiro Mifune replied. She was a long-haired brunette with an odd accent that Maya couldn't really place, and acted in her off-hours more like she belonged on the party circuit, rather than at NERV. "It came out of the Indian Ocean and quickly gained altitude." Turning about in her seat, revealing the front of her uniform jacket to partly unzipped and revealing a rather sizeable bust, she added, "It's currently outside our atmosphere and has settled into orbit."

Barely suppressing the urge to sigh, Maya quickly considered the situation. While it was true that all the Angels to date had been different, attacking in different ways, this was so completely unforeseen that she wasn't sure what to make of it. Making a face, she turned to the sole source of true support she felt she still had in her new life. At which point Ritsuko, seeing her lost and uncertain as to what to do, asked, "Can we get a look at it?"

Blinking a few times, Maya then got the cue given her. "Uh, right. Of course," she sputtered out, not even sounding close to being in command of anything, let alone the most important defensive organization in the world. "Eh, Shigeru? Can you get one of the Recon Satellites into the same orbit as the Angel?"

"On it," Shigeru responded, his fingers already dancing across his keyboard. "Recon Satellite 6 will achieve contact in T-minus two minutes."

Two minutes. Two whole minutes. Time in which Maya could have been doing any number of things. She could have been working to plot the satellite intercept, or trying to get a better fix on the Angel's AT-Field, or working to plot its orbital trajectory. Instead, all she could do was stand there, waiting and wondering just how horrible a monster they would soon be facing, and worrying about what would happen when it inevitably came down to a battle between it, and them.

_No. Not us,_ Maya winced as another bit of the ugliness of her new position came up and bit her. _The Children. They're the ones who have to go out and fight these things. They're the ones that I have to order to…to…_

"The target has been sighted," Makoto reported, jerking Maya out of the pit of horrors her imagination was conjuring up. Fighting both her confusion and the onslaught of her worried mind, she forced herself to watch as the image of the newest monster to menace the Earth appeared on the main screen. It was orange, and the central body had what looked like a large eye in the center, and four antennae. Two larger stalks branched out from either side of the Angel, ending in what could almost be bizarre hands, with three of the fingers being huge in proportion to the Angel. "Aw, man! Would you get a load of that thing! It's enormous!"

"I know," Maya agreed gravely. Certain that it was also very dangerous.

"Satellite coming into range," Aoba informed them all.

"Good. Let's…let's see what we can find out about…" Maya began, doing her best to sound like Major Katsuragi, or at least someone who actually belonged where she was standing. Which lasted about as it took for a warning klaxon to be heard. "Wh-what the -?" she tried again, only to cut herself when the image being displayed on the holographic display crackled, and was then replaced with static. "What happened? Where's that satellite feed?"

"Recon 6 has been destroyed, Captain!" Chihiro reported easily, as if this were just another day at the office for her. "I don't know what the Angel did, but it somehow crushed the satellite like it was made of tinfoil!"

"A new use of an AT-Field," Ritsuko noted unhappily, sounding perfectly at ease with the situation. But then, she was where she belonged on the bridge. She was doing what she was supposed to do, analyzing and comprehending the nature of their enemy. It was only Maya that was out of her element, without any idea of what she should do next.

It was only Maya who was already scared out of her mind.

While she looked at her mentor, wondering what she could possibly have done to warrant being trapped in such an awful position, Ritsuko met her gaze. And just as she had easily comprehended what the Angel had done, the doctor effortlessly read her former understudy's face. A moment later, the doctor approached Maya and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I think we should go to the Situation Room, and get a better idea of what we're dealing with," she told the frightened woman. "We can go from there, see what we can do about this thing."

Smiling wanly, Maya placed her own hand upon Ritsuko's. "Thanks, sempai," she replied, though her fears didn't go away.

Sometime later, they were ten times worse.

* * *

As Misato lay on the sofa of her secure quarters, she looked up at the ceiling, thinking about the results of the tests that her monstrous other had been subjected to. In the days since the She-Hulk had last escaped from the confines of her slender body, the Major had been able to think of nothing but the things Ritsuko had learned about the savage she-beast, her mind awhirl with myriad possibilities. _Virtually unlimited strength…almost indestructible…tireless…enough power to make an Eva look like a ninety pound weakling…_ she thought as she ran down the list of discoveries made about the thing. Then the purple-haired woman frowned grumpily. _And all of it completely _useless_ because I can't _control_ it! It all belongs to that pea-brained Neanderthal!_

As the Major once again considered the cosmic unfairness of such a situation, she was startled by the sound of the door to her apartment opening. "Shinji?" Misato wondered, only to be proven wrong as she watched Ritsuko and Maya enter. "Oh, hi, Rits. Let me guess, it's time to vampire some more blood for your evil experiments. Am I…?"

Misato's words fell dead in her mouth as she got a good look at her visitors. Ritsuko looked concerned, the kind of concerned the people in the movies felt when Godzilla was slowly approachingJapan. As for Maya, to say that she looked like death warmed over would be to put it kindly. "What is it?" she wondered, looking between the two women in confusion. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

Maya frowned, then looked at Ritsuko in a questioning manner. The faux-blonde nodded, at which the Captain returned her attention to Misato, her eyes bloodshot. "Major…we're in big trouble…"

* * *

In almost no time at all, Ritsuko and Maya brought Misato up to speed on what had just happened. "So that's the new Angel, huh?" Misato spoke as the two women used the computer interface in her coffee table to show her video images of this latest personification of death. "Talk about the evil eye…"

"That's one way of putting it," Ritsuko replied, her voice tired and drained as she advanced to a new video file. "The Angel has been dropping parts of its own mass onto the Earth for the last two hours. Fortunately, the first few shots hit the ocean. Still, the tidal waves caused by such impacts have been enormous."

"So, it's using a combination of the AT-Field impact and simple gravity," Misato mused as she watched the Angel rain destruction down upon the Earth. "This thing's like a huge bomber!"

"It gets worse," Maya admitted tiredly. "The Angel has been steadily correcting its error ratio. It's learning to aim itself."

"I see," Misato replied, nodding her comprehension. "And has there been any action against the Angel?"

"We were able to detonate an aerial N2 mine on the Angel. That was the first thing we did," Maya answered helplessly even as Ritsuko showed the result of this attack. "But…it had no effect. We couldn't get through the AT-Field."

"The Angel has been hiding ever since," Ritsuko continued, advancing the images. "It's been using ECM jamming to keep us from accurately locating it, despite its size."

Leaning back in her seat, Misato gave a weak smile. "It's coming here. Isn't it?"

"I'd say it's a safe bet," Ritsuko somberly agreed. "And if that thing falls on us, this entire area will become part of the Pacific Ocean."

Frowning as she examined the situation from every available angle, Misato looked at Maya. "Have you contacted the Commander?"

"Yes. We were able to alert him that we'd detected the Angel, but then we lost contact him," Maya explained. "The Angel's jamming field is making radio contact impossible."

"And the MAGI? What did they say?" Misato wondered.

"All three were unanimous in recommending evacuation," Maya informed her. Letting out a ghost of a sigh, she let her eyes fall to the floor. "I've…already issued a D-17 special declaration. All civilians and D-class personnel within fifty kilometers are already being evacuated, and Matsushiro base has already backed up the MAGI."

"Good, good," Misato replied, nodding thoughtfully as she considered her successor's actions. Then, with a confident smile, she added, "Well, Maya, so far, your decisions are right on. You're…you're doing exactly what I'd do in this situation."

"Uh…thanks, Major," Maya answered, not meeting Misato's eyes.

"So…do you two have any plans for the next step?" Misato asked, looking at the two of them expectantly. However, the smile adoring her face quickly faded when neither of them replied. "What is it?"

"Major…there is no next step," Maya replied, sending Misato's jaw straight to the floor.

"What?" Misato gaped, drilling Maya with a glare that made her flinch. "What do you mean, there's no next step?"

"Major…you have to believe me, we've already been over this several times," Maya spoke imploringly, as if begging the purple-haired woman to understand. "We've examined every possibility, we've…done everything we could think of, and…there's nothing more we can do."

"What are you saying?" Misato wondered, almost fearful as she looked from one face to the other. Then, her eyes widening with realization, she gasped, "Omigod…you're going to abandon Tokyo-3. Aren't you."

Her lips tightening, Maya's expression became a picture of desperation. "Major, please understand…it's not that we _want_ to do this, but the fact is…there's nothing we _can_ do. We just don't have anything that can beat this Angel."

"So you're just going to let that thing wipe out this city and everything in it?" Misato demanded incredulously.

"We don't have any other choice!" Maya immediately protested. "Now, once the preliminary evacuation has been completed, we'll take the Evas and whatever equipment we can save and send them to Matsushiro as well, along with the remaining personnel." The young Captain paused before adding, "Now, I'm afraid you'll have to be sedated before we can get you out of here. But I've already made preliminary arrangements for a new containment facility, and…"

"Stop! Stop right there! Don't say another word!" Misato snarled, sending the woman she had praised just minutes ago recoiling. "You're crazy. We can't just run away from this thing!" Pausing as the hatred she felt for the Angels rose up, she sucked down a raspy breath along with her own emotions, and was only marginally successful at both. "Dammit! We _have_ to stay and fight! Why can't you see that?"

"Misato, _please! _I know how you feel about the Angels, but this isn't the time for revenge," Ritsuko scolded her. "All we can do now is save as many lives as we can."

"This has nothing to do with revenge!" Misato declared vehemently.

"Are you sure about that?" Ritsuko asked, a thousand implications loaded into that tiny sentence. Implications that had Misato frowning, a tiny spark of green showing in her eyes. "Misato…I can't blame you for hating the Angels. Not after all that you've been through, especially with this…thing inside of you. But…there's nothing we can do. The MAGI…"

"The MAGI are just computers," Misato countered aggressively. "All they really know is facts and figures. Ratios and results. Black and white. And while a computer can beat a human at chess, I've yet to meet one that can outdo me at the card table."

"Misato…" Ritsuko started, but the fire in the Major's eyes would not let her finish.

"You want me to say that I hate the Angels?" Misato asked bitterly. "Fine! _I hate them!_ I hate every last goddamned one of them! I'd love to be able to rip them all apart with my bare hands!" Feeling a dread tremble run through her body, her inner beast roaring with savage delight at such an image, she again forced herself to keep her anger in check, under control. To keep the beast within. "But that doesn't mean I intend to screw everyone over, just for my own satisfaction!" Looking from Ritsuko to Maya and back again, she paused to take several deep breaths as she struggled to retain herself, to not let _her _come forth. "You want to talk about the odds of winning? Fine! Let's talk about the odds of winning this war if we let Tokyo-3 get destroyed by this Angel! Because we can't just think about this one battle! We have to remember all the _other _Angels that we'll have to deal with afterwards. And how we'd do without this city to back us up!" Not bothering to keep the snarl from her face, she glowered at the new Operations Director. "What, didn't the MAGI have anything to say about _that?"_

Her eyes falling to the floor, Maya took several seconds to reply. "They did," she finally admitted. "And they're terrible, I know that, but…we've still got a better chance of surviving without this city than we have with this Angel. We just…were never set up to fight something so high in the sky..."

"So what? Who cares if the Evas never had wings installed! Who gives a damn about the odds! All I know is that we have a job to do!" Misato declared, glowering at the small woman who had been forced to fill her shoes. "And that includes you, Maya. _Especially_ you."

"But I never even _wanted _this job!" the Captain protested, her voice taking an edge of desperation. "This is…I can't do this, Major! There's just nothing we can do to beat this Angel!"

"Oh? And would you say that if there was virus in the MAGI? Or a problem with the Evas that looked like it couldn't be fixed?" Misato asked pointedly. "Would you just call it quits, and say that there's nothing you can do about that, too?"

Frowning, Maya shook her head slightly before answering. "That's…a completely different thing, Major…"

"No, it's not," Misato countered, drawing two sets of gazes at her. "The circumstances are different, I'll grant you, but you still have a problem that has to be solved, and it's not going to get better with you ignoring it. And just giving up is _never _the solution." As these words struck home, Maya winced, only to look up again when Misato stood to look her in the eye. "Maya…I'm sorry. I know you don't want this position, anymore than I want this…thing inside of me." Placing a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder, she went on to tell you, "But like it or not, we're stuck with both of them. And right now…all we can do is our best."

As for Maya, she frowned unhappily, caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On the one hand, she didn't want to abandon this city, her home, or force its inhabitants to abandon everything they had and allow the Angel to take it from them without even trying to save it. But at the same time, she simply couldn't think of any other possibilities. And as she considered these things, she also thought of Misato's words. _Would I just give up because a computer virus looked unbeatable? _she asked herself, only to realize that the answer was no. She could never just ignore such a thing, no matter how tough it might be.

As the brunette pondered the situation, she looked at Ritsuko. Much to the Maya's surprise, the faux-blonde was smiling slightly. "So…do I take this to mean that you have an idea?"

"A couple, actually," Misato responded with a gentle shrug. "Both are kind of iffy, but…they're better than the alternative."

"Really?" Maya asked, grasping at the glimmer of hope like it was a life preserver. "W-what do you have in mind?"

"Well, the first possibility depends on a few things," Misato admitted, returning her attention to the picture of the Angel when the N2 was detonated. "Maya…here, it looks like the Angel is in the atmosphere. Is that right?"

Maya quickly nodded to this. "Yes. We can't pinpoint its exact position, but…the Angel is currently in Earth's atmosphere. As near as we can tell, it's slowly descending."

"Is the air breathable at that altitude?" Misato wondered, pacing about as the wheels of her mind began to spin at greater speeds.

Again, Maya nodded. "Barely. There's not a lot of oxygen, but…yes, it is breathable."

"So…we can get to it with a sub-orbital interceptor?" Misato asked. Once more, the Captain nodded. "Alright, Maya. This is the most important question; how large is the smallest N2 we have?"

"The N2s?" Maya repeated, her face thrown into confusion. Her eyes narrowed with concentration, the Captain considered the matter. "Well…the standard size would fit into Eva's hand, but…"

The Captain was cut off when Misato shook her head. "No, Maya. I need something smaller than that," she explained tersely. "Ideally, I'd like something that could be carried on someone's back, but it can't be larger than a small car."

"A small car?" Maya repeated blankly. As she considered this new specification, she frowned slightly. "Well…if we strip away the outer housing, rewire the various charges, and install a new detonator…"

"Wait a minute. A sub-orbital interceptor? A small N2?" Ritsuko, a suspicious gleam appearing her eyes. "Misato…what are you planning on, anyway?"

The two women looked at the Major, who smiled in a deep, devious manner that the doctor knew all too well. "Rits…" Misato started, crossing her arms and wearing an expression of deep satisfaction. "I think it's time I got a little…fresh air."

* * *

_"Whaaat? You're gonna **skydive **down to the Angel? With an **N2 mine **on your back?"_ Asuka shrieked in pure disbelief.

"That's right," Misato replied casually as she looked at the three pilots. Maya was at her side in the Situation Room as the Major explained her plan to the Children, while three Section 2 agents were on standby, armed with tranquilizer guns. "Ritsuko has all available technical crews working right now, modifying one of the N2 mines, making it smaller and rigging it with carrying straps so that I can carry it on my back."

There was silence while the display on the floor shifted to show the Angel that was even now setting in motion humanity's doom. "The Angel is currently approaching Tokyo-3 on a steady descent. As soon as the N2 is ready, we'll use a sub-orbital interceptor to reach it before it gets within range of the city." Pausing as the tactical display mapped out the course of action she had plotted, Misato continued, "Staying outside of the radius of the Angel's AT-Field, I will then jump from the interceptor, and land on the Angel."

Misato paused, looking at the three children NERV forced to fight on the behalf of humanity. Asuka was staring at Misato like the older woman had completely lost her mind, Rei's expression was all but neutral, the albino's emotions carefully hidden and almost impossible for the Major to decipher. And Shinji, his face was the one that drove deepest into her heart. The boy who had found his way into her home and heart stood there, looking at her like his was made of glass, and was on the verge of shattering. "But…Misato…why do you have to do this?"

"Yeah!" Asuka added, frowning derisively. "If NERV is just gonna bomb the damn the thing, then why do you have to go along for the ride?"

"We've already attempted to destroy the Angel with an N2 mine, but it was ineffective. The blast wasn't powerful enough to penetrate the Angel's AT-Field," Misato explained easily. "However, as we already know, She-Hulk is capable of breaking through an AT-Field. So if she's carrying the mine, then we'll be able to bypass the AT-Field and attack the Angel directly."

"You mean to deliberately transform, then?" Rei asked, her voice even quieter than usual.

"That's right," Misato answered, her own voice becoming subdued. The very thought of doing what she planned still intimidating for her. Of surrendering herself to that beast…

Squashing down her fears before they could truly take over, Misato focused on the woman beside her. "Maya's already rigged up something to help me out with that."

As the Children shifted their gazes to Maya, the Captain shifted uneasily before holding up a small, metal device that looked like a flashlight without the light. "When you push this button," Maya started, tapping at the control with her thumb, "this provoker will deliver an electric charge to whoever's holding it. One that's large enough to trigger a massive adrenal surge, causing the Major to transform."

Nodding, Misato returned her attention to the children. "As soon as She-Hulk lands on the Angel, the people onboard the interceptor will cause the mine's carrying straps to release. Once the mine's loose, it will deploy a ramset to anchor it to the Angel."

"B-but…what about you, Misato?" Shinji asked, fear mounting in his blue eyes.

"Don't worry," Misato smiled reassuringly. "The mine's being set up so that we can remote detonate it at any time we want. She-Hulk will have plenty of time to get out of there before it blows, and she'll be fitted with a parachute. Once she's in freefall, it will automatically deploy, enabling her to fall safely."

"That's assuming the brain-dead monster is smart enough to get out of there in time!" Asuka sneered with her hands at her hips. "Dammit, Misato! This is crazy! _Even for you!_"

"I know there's a risk, but we don't have much choice," Misato answered evenly, even as her own concerns were reflected in her eyes. It was hard enough for her to think of trusting this beast not to hurt the people she loved so dearly. Trusting her to carry out a plan such as this bordered on the impossible. "The crew of the interceptor will in constant contact with She-Hulk. They should be able to encourage her to get out of their before we blow the mine."

"But what if she doesn't?" Shinji asked worriedly. He had acquired a little military experience since coming to NERV, just enough to see the sheer number of problems with this plan. Most of them revolved around She-Hulk's primitive, savage nature. "Misato…"

"I understand what you're saying, Shinji, but this really is our best chance," Misato told him, keeping her smile in place. Desperate to keep his own fears at bay, along with her own. "If we don't stop this Angel, Tokyo-3 and NERV will be annihilated, along with our best chance of stopping the Angels. We have to do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen."

While Shinji's gaze fell to the floor, Asuka glared at Misato. "And what are we supposed to do if Greenie blows it? Don't tell me you're actually dumb enough to put all of your faith in that thing!"

"Asuka…" Shinji began, looking reproachfully at the German.

"No, that's okay, Shinji," Misato says, nodding before returning her attention to Asuka. "You're right Asuka. There's too much at stake for us to blow it. That's why we've prepared a contingency plan, in case she…I fail."

"And what kind of insane scheme would that be, hmm?" Asuka wondered, her eyes closed as she placed her hands to her hips. "Rig up some kind of giant butterfly net to catch the Angel in?"

"Not exactly," Misato stated, her voice completely serious. Letting the silence speak for a time, she eyed the children very carefully, fully aware of what she was going to ask of them. "If She-Hulk fails to destroy the Angel, then we'll have no other choice but to have the Evas attempt to intercept the Angel before it hits the ground."

"Intercept it?" Asuka got out, her eyes bugging out at the Major. "You mean…you want us to try and _catch the Angel? With our hands?"_

"Yes, that's right," Misato informed them, wincing inwardly as her insides twisted about. "While the interceptor is en route to the Angel, the Evas will be deployed in the estimated drop zone. If we can't get to the Angel in time, or if I can't get the N2 onto it, then that will be our only chance. By maintaining your AT-Fields, you'll have to catch it before it hits the ground."

Letting this sink in, Misato found herself studying the Children, seeing their respective reactions in their eyes. Asuka clearly was stunned by her strategies, something the Major couldn't blame her for. There was an unholy host of things that could go horribly wrong with both of her plans. Rei stood still, showing no reaction that Misato could discern. And as for the lone boy present…

"Misato…do you really have to do this?" Shinji asked, fear shadowing his face.

"Like I said, an aerial intercept is our best chance. The MAGI give me a 63.8% chance of successfully contacting with the Angel," Misato explained, trying to feel as confident as she sounded. "Given the capabilities of this Angel, those are the best numbers we're going to get."

"Yeah, right. If you can pull this off, it'll be a miracle," Asuka grumbled, lowering her gaze in disgust.

"Miracles aren't something that just happen, you know," Misato stated firmly, her eyes boring into the Children. "You have to make them happen. Besides, I prefer acts of man to acts of God, anyway."

"You're really willing to sacrifice yourself _and _us?" Asuka demanded, leaning towards her superior.

"You don't have to go, Asuka. None of you do," Misato stated, taking the German by surprise. "I'm not going to make this an order. You will all have to decide this for yourselves." Frowning as she once again that agonizing part of her life, of making children fight her war, children no older than she had been when she had lost everything in her life, the Major sighed and tried to ignore the wrathful growling in the back of her mind. "If you don't think that operation is worth the risk, then you will be evacuated along with your respective Evangelions. Nothing will be said."

Looking at the children, Misato searched their faces for any sign, any hint of protest. She waited for one of them to say that she was insane, that this plan could never be worth it. That there was no point in risking their lives for plan that could never conceivably work. And almost hoping that they did.

Her expectations were met with silence.

"I see. So you're all okay with this?" Misato asked, her spirits lifting somewhat.

"Um, Major?" Maya spoke, looking at the former Operations Director. The Captain nervously handed Misato a brown packet.

"Oh, right. Almost forgot," Misato smiled grimly, taking the brown packet in her hand before returning her attention to the children. "The regulations state that we're supposed to write out a will, just in case. Have you done that yet?"

Snorting derisively, Asuka met the older woman's gaze. Misato knew the German well enough to know that she was bristling at the thought that someone thought she couldn't be expected to triumph against all odds. Especially when someone who wasn't even an Eva pilot was doing something even potentially crazier than she would be. "Gimme a break! I'm not going to die just yet! I don't need to write some dumb will!"

"Nor do I. There'd be no point to it," Rei seconded.

"Same here," Shinji nodded just before he looked at, and managed a smile. "Besides…I know you're gonna succeed, so why do I need to write a will?"

Her lips parting somewhat at the 3rd Child's words, Misato then tipped her head to the side and smiled. "Thanks, Shinji-kun," she said, a million forms of gratitude in those two words. "Well, I suggest we get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day."

* * *

"So how's the N2 coming?" Misato asked as she sat in her quarters. Both Ritsuko and Maya were with her, reviewing every detail of the mission. Going over every last detail, while they still had time.

"The tech divisions report that it's almost ready," Ritsuko told her. "They still need a little time to test out the various connections and the new relays, but it should all be good for tomorrow."

"Good," Misato replied, nodding. "Just make sure that everything works. We're only to get one chance to do this right, and we can't afford to blow it."

While Maya's eyes lowered, Ritsuko angled her head at her best friend. "Misato, please, I wish you would reconsider this!"

"No way, Ritsuko," Misato retorted, her features resolute. "We've already been over this a dozen times, and we've agreed that this is our best chance to stop the Angel. There's nothing more to discuss."

"There's a _lot _more to discuss!" Ritsuko insisted. "Even if She-Hulk succeeds in getting to the Angel, and everything does go right with this plan, and those are pretty _big '_ifs', we still don't know what will happen when the N2 goes off! It could destroy your parachute before it's deployed, and even it doesn't, there's no way of telling how the blast would affect you!"

"What are you talking about?" Misato wondered. "You said it yourself, Rits; even an N2 wouldn't be enough to kill that thing!"

"Maybe, but I'm not so sure about an N2 _and _a fall from a couple thousand feet in the air!" Ritsuko retorted, her face one big frown. "And even if it doesn't kill you, we still don't know enough about your mutated physiology to be able to predict what kind of effect it might have on you! It might make things worse, it might…!"

"I'm not interested in theories or vague possibilities here. The only things I care about right now are facts. Like the _fact_ that that Angel will destroy this city if we don't do something, and the _fact_ that this is our best chance to stop it," Misato stated. When Ritsuko was not dissuaded, the Major shot her a bold smile. "Besides, if I don't come back from this…well, at least the Commander will have one less mutant to worry about, won't he?"

"That's not funny, Misato!" Ritsuko roared, her heart pounding in such a way that showed that if _she_ had been one with the gamma mutation, she'd be green and roaring within seconds.

Sobering up, Misato nodded to her friend. "You're right, it's not," she agreed, frowning slightly. "But I have to give this my all, Rits. My conscience won't let me do anything less."

With these words, Ritsuko's ire slowly faded, her features hardening and softening alternately. Neither of the other two women there could figure out was passing through her mind. There was only silence as the two friends looked at each other, until the doctor turned about. "In that case, I better get down and make sure that N2 will be ready," Ritsuko said, moving towards the exit. "I don't want your conscience getting you killed."

"Thanks," Misato said, but her only answer was the door to her current dwelling closing loudly.

Looking at the door her sensei had left through, Maya then turned her attention to Misato. "Major…there's something I need to know."

"What is it?" Misato asked easily. Like she wasn't going to risking her life and the lives of everyone she knew tomorrow. Like it was nothing to her.

For a few moments, Maya studied the Major's continence for any sign or fear or regret, any hint that she doubted what she was planning. When she found none, she could no longer hold herself back. "How do you do it, Major?"

"Do what?" Misato wondered.

"How can you…do what you do?" Maya asked. "How can you just…order the Children to their deaths? If you fail…!"

"It's not as bad as all that, Maya," Misato assured the Captain, raising a comforting hand. "Remember, no matter how badly damaged the Evas might get, their AT-Fields will protect them. When you think about it, the safest place to be is inside of the Evas." With a confident smile, Misato looked into the worried continence of her friend. "I can't really explain it, but…I believe in the Evas. And I trust the Children."

"I know all that, but…" Maya started, only to fumble beneath the many fears and doubts that held her tight. "But…you're still placing them in a dangerous situation."

Looking at Maya, her own smile fading, Misato nodded. "I know that."

"So how can you do it?" Maya asked, her need clear. "How can you keep doing that, knowing what might happen to them?"

Frowning somewhat, Misato tried to come up with the right words to help the younger woman. "It's not easy," she admitted in way of gross understatement. "But Maya, you have to remember that if we don't stop the Angels, none of us will have any future, and that includes the kids."

"I…I know that, but…" Maya began, only to become lost in her own confusion.

"I know you do," Misato assured her with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I guess my advantage is that I spend more time with Shinji and Asuka, so I know that they won't back down. And…well, you know what happened to me when Second Impact occurred. So…I guess I know better than anybody what'll happen…if we fail." With that, she felt herself drifting back to that horrendous day, fifteen years ago. When a pillar of fire erupted from the Earth, sprouting four wings of fiery destruction. "The Angels won't be handing out trophies for second place, after all. They won't demand a surrender, or declare a ceasefire. They aren't out to conquer us. They're doing everything they can to destroy us, as well as everything else on the planet."

"But still…how do you do it?" Maya persisted, not getting the answer she needed. "How do you live with what we're doing, knowing what could happen to them?"

_What makes you think I _can_ live with it? _Misato answered within her mind, thinking of the many anguished hours she had spent considering such thoughts. "I get drunk. A lot," was what she actually said, smiling sadly. "I really wouldn't recommend it, though."

Frowning, Maya lowered her gaze to the floor. "I see," she finally said, her disappointment clear. Disappointment that the Major didn't have some magic answer that would make all of her fears go away.

Misato could have told her a lot of things. She could have told Maya that what she felt now would never go away. That it would subside at times, allowing her to maybe pretend that she was without any problems, but then her fears would come back. Would ambush her in the middle of the night, appearing in the form of nightmares that hounded her when she woke up. And that was what it meant, having the title she now had.

But she couldn't. Misato couldn't do that to the younger woman, who seemed too gentle, too delicate for a place like NERV. Instead, she asked, "Maya, could you do me a favor?"

"Huh?" Maya started, taking a few seconds to refocus her attention on Misato. "Oh, sure! Anything!"

"Could you ask Shinji to come here?" Misato requested. "There's some stuff I'd like to talk to him about. You know…before…"

As Misato trailed off, Maya looked at her, and for the first time since the Angel had been detected, she saw the fear in her eyes. Not for herself, but for the children. The ones she might be leaving behind. Forever.

Unable to imagine what Misato could be going through, what kind of hell it must be, sharing her body with a near-mindless monstrosity and preparing to do what she was planning tomorrow, Maya could only look at Misato. Then, after a time, she smiled comfortingly, and nodded.

"Of course," Maya answered, and was soon gone.

* * *

Shinji enjoyed cooking.

Like many other skills, it had taken him a good amount of effort to learn, even more to master to the extent he had, but it had been a necessary thing for him. Being left alone much of the time had insured that. And over the years, he had found it to be one of the few things that distracted him from his own woes and fears.

But even as Shinji prepared dinner for Misato that night, he found that nothing he did could drive away the dread he now felt. For as he looked from the food he was taking out of the oven to the woman who had given him so much, suffered so much, he found that he could not completely banish his fears. The biding horror that this might be the last night he was able to spend with her.

"Here you go, Misato," Shinji said as he finished setting up the servings meant for Misato and himself. "Curried chicken, and I made some dumplings to go with it!"

"Oh, Shinji-kun, you're the best!" Misato grinned as he placed the plateful of mouthwatering delicacies before her, along with a can of beer. Holding out her arms, the Major gave Shinji one of her patented bear hugs.

Smiling at the affection Misato showed, affection that Shinji was still unused to, and yet was beginning to wonder how he lived without for so long, the 3rd Child went back to the kitchen. Soon, he was seated next to Misato with his own serving. For a time, the two of them ate, exchanged pleasant conversation, and did little but enjoy each other's company. They did not talk about the coming battle. They did their best to not even think of it, fully aware that it be coming far too soon.

"This was great, Shinji-kun," Misato smiled as she concluded dinner. "Honestly, you could open a restaurant right now, the way you cook."

"Oh, thanks, Misato," Shinji replied quietly, blushing as he averted his gaze. "Anyway, I made some chocolate cake for desert. Would you like some?"

"You mean you actually have to ask? Of course I would!" Misato grinned, beaming at the boy so brightly that the sun was pale in comparison. Nodding, Shinji got up and returned to the kitchen. As he opened the refrigerator and brought for the cake, Misato's voice caught his attention. "Hey, Shinji, remember when you first came here? To Tokyo-3?"

"Huh?" Shinji started, surprised by the question. He gave the purple-haired woman a curious look. "Uh, yeah. Sure I do."

"Remember the place I took you to? You know, so I could show you the city?" Misato asked. When Shinji nodded, the Major let out a low sigh. "It's too bad, you know. I really would have liked to gone there again. You know, before the operation."

"Oh, that's okay. We can go there again," Shinji assured her. Smiling as he cut Misato a piece of cake, and gave himself one as well. "As soon as you're cured, we'll go there. Maybe…have a picnic there or something."

Smiling almost sadly, Misato looked at her ward as he served dessert. "I'd like that," she finally said, even as the boy seated himself next to her. Once again, the two of them ate. Exchanged meaningless conversation that meant everything to the two of them. And when the food was done, they moved to living area, and relaxed on the sofa.

"Shinji," Misato started again, only to pause.

"What is it?" Shinji asked, looking at Misato's face. Saw the concern that was all-too visible for him.

Looking about at her surroundings, Misato spoke, her words slow from the burden of emotion they carried. "Ritsuko…I know she told you about what happened to me. I mean…with Second Impact."

Blinking, Shinji just looked at Misato. "Uh, yeah, she did," he replied, unsure how else to respond to such a statement.

"You know, I almost wasn't there. With the expedition, I mean," Misato commented, causing Shinji to look at her.

"Huh?" Shinji asked, trying to meet Misato's eyes. He wasn't able to, however. Misato's gaze wasn't in the present, but staring back over the gulf of fifteen years. "Why were you there, then?"

"Well…to tell you the truth…it was because my father forced me to come," Misato explained, causing Shinji's brow to knot with confusion. "He lived for his work, and he…never really had time for anything else. Including me." Shaking her head, Misato's lips tightened before she returned to the present just long enough to look at Shinji. "I don't…I don't even remember him ever saying that he loved me. Not even once."

"R-really?" Shinji started, even as memories of his own pain began spilling forth in the back of his mind.

"I never forgave him for that. The truth is, there were times when I even hated him," Misato admitted, even as the past returned to claim her. "He was never there for me…or my mother. I can't even think of the number of times when I heard her crying herself to sleep, just because he was never there for us. So when she finally decided to divorce him, I was actually pretty happy about it. I was so tired of him avoiding us, just because it was easier than dealing with the real world." Pausing as this bit of her past returned to her, the resulting silence quickly expanded, filling the entire room. "He was so upset about it when he found out, but…I couldn't help but laugh. I just kept thinking that…he deserved it. That he didn't want to deal with us, so he wouldn't have us anymore. And that would be that."

"I…I see," Shinji spoke. "But…if that's the case, then why…?"

"Why was I there with him?" Misato concluded. When Shinji nodded, the Major sighed. "I'm not sure. Just before the divorce became final, he arranged to have me brought along on the expedition." Giving a slight shrug, she shook her head and went on. "Maybe he figured if he could win me over, I could convince Mom not to go ahead with it. That he could just go back to the way things were, and he wouldn't have to deal with the divorce."

There was another heavy pause as Misato struggled to get out her next words. "But then…when Second Impact occurred…he saved me. I never even wanted to be there, but…my father sacrificed himself to save my life. He got me to an emergency capsule, put his pendant around my neck…and then sealed it up, just before the worst of the blast." At these words, Shinji's eyes went to the cross that she always wore about her neck. Noticing his interest, Misato fingered the object, wearing a slight smile as she did. "That's right. I was wearing this when the rescue crews found me. But…that wasn't the end of it."

"It wasn't?" Shinji asked, almost dreading what Misato would say next. "You mean…your mother…?"

"She died. In the aftermath of Second Impact," Misato explained. "She…was on the freeway when it happened, and…the section she was on just collapsed. And as for me…"

"Yes?" Shinji murmured, eyes widening.

Misato didn't say anything at first. She just sat there, battling memories that were too painful to be born. "I spent the next three years of my life in the hospital. I couldn't speak, could hardly do anything on my own. All I could really do was just…sit in this little room."

"Really?" Shinji got out. He just sat there, trying to picture a younger Misato, speechless, almost catatonic, but he found that he couldn't. She had always been so full of life, of spirit. The image she painted was anathema to him, to his knowledge of her character.

"Really. I spent that time with psychologists, trying to put my own mind and soul back together again. And when I finally managed to do all that…they told me that I was all alone. That my family was all gone," Misato confessed. Then she smiled, a smile that was twisted by all the pain and misery she had felt. "You know, maybe that's where She-Hulk came from."

"Huh?" Shinji wondered.

"That thing, the monster that comes out when I…change?" Misato explained. When Shinji nodded his understanding, her smile became more genuine. "Maybe that's what happened. Maybe she's a piece of me that got…broken off because of Second Impact. A piece that never got put back just right."

Shinji had nothing to say to this. Nothing he really could say. He could only listen as Misato continued. "Anyway…when I realized that it had been my father that saved me, I…really didn't know what to think. I didn't know whether I hated him, or loved him, or much of anything. All I really knew was that…I wanted to destroy the Angels. I wanted revenge on them all, and…that's why I joined NERV."

"Oh," Shinji spoke, his face creasing with sorrow. "Misato…"

"Shhh," Misato went, placing a finger over Shinji's lips, stopping the apology before it could escape. "Don't be sorry, Shinji. I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm the one using you and the others to get at the Angels."

"But…it's not your fault! The Evas won't work for adults! Only…" Shinji started.

"I know," Misato agreed sadly, thinking of the many times she had cursed this reality. "But that doesn't make it any less wrong."

"Misato…" Shinji murmured, only to have Misato place her finger over his lips again.

"Please, don't say anything," Misato pleaded, wrapping her arms around him. "Just…let me hold you. Just for a little while."

Enveloped in Misato's warmth, Shinji found himself unable to say anything. All he could do was return Misato's embrace, and give her the comfort she so dearly needed.

* * *

The next day came too soon, and at the same time, not soon enough. No one involved could tolerate the waiting, the mounting tension. Of silently asking if their preparations would be enough. Of waiting for the ordeal to end, one way…or the other.

For Misato, as she was loaded onto the sub-orbital interceptor, she found herself filled with something that resembled eagerness. Her entire focus was on the fact that she was going to be fighting an Angel. Her, not the Children. That for the very first time, the young pilots stood a chance of being out of harm's way, while the one who hated the Angels the most, the one whose job description included sending those children out to face almost certain death, would be taking the risks. Making the Angels pay with her own hands.

It almost made her forget the pleased expression on Captain Chiron's face as he and some of his trusted Section 2 creeps escorted her through NERV, making no effort to conceal how happy he was that Misato was possibly going to her death. It almost made her able to deal with seeing the fearful expressions on the face of Shinji and some of the others when they said goodbye, as well as Kaji's pleasant words mixed with his sleazy innuendo.

However, the N2 she was now strapped to was a lot harder to ignore.

"I don't suppose it was possible to make this thing just a little smaller?" Misato commented, securely bound to a massive hunk of metal that looked like a truck that had been blown up, only to have the various pieces welded back together any which way. It was only bit bigger than a small car, and while She-Hulk would have no trouble moving it, it was very uncomfortable to someone who was normal-human-sized.

"I'm sorry, Major, but we just didn't have a lot of time," Maya apologized. She and the rest of the bridge crew were riding in the interceptor. They were all monitoring the Angel's position, as well as making sure Misato didn't pop her cork too soon and sink the mission before it could start. "Besides, this is about as small we could get it without removing the safeguards and shields!"

"Yeah, I know. Sorry," Misato smiled ruefully, trying to get more comfortable when her feet barely touched the floor.

"I wish I could unlock the straps, but…" Maya said, wringing her hands.

"I know, Maya," Misato replied, having insisted on the current precautions herself. Looking over her shoulder at the ejection system that would serve in the stead of a bomb bay, launching her and the N2 away from the interceptor. This way, if something went wrong either with her or the bomb, they would be able to get rid of both before it was too late.

Frowning at these dire thoughts, Misato turned her attention elsewhere. "Hyuga? Any sign of the Angel yet?" she asked, employing the open line to the cockpit.

"Negative. It's ECM jamming is still in effect," Makoto reported from his position. "We have a general idea of where it is, but nothing more."

Annoyed but unsurprised, Misato's lips tightened. "How much longer until the Angel impacts?"

"Twenty-seven minutes, sir," Shigeru spoke up.

"Dammit!" Misato growled, doing her best to keep her temper in check. Resisting the urge to beat her hand against something.

Frowning, Maya looked about, examining the weapon of mass destruction that Misato was attached to. "Major…are you sure about all of this?" the Captain asked, looking more squeamish by the moment.

"Huh…a bit late for second thoughts, don't you think?" Misato asked, a smile twisting about the corner of her lip. "Besides, the MAGI…"

"I know about the odds, but…Major…we all know how unpredictable She-Hulk is. How hard to control," Maya spoke. "So what if we find the Angel, but not fast enough?"

"As soon as we find the Angel, we'll proceed with the operation," Misato sternly insisted.

"But, Major, if we don't find it soon, there won't be enough time to escape!" Maya protested, spreading her arms in emphasis. "Even if She-Hulk cooperates with us, there might not be enough time for her to get to a safe distance before the mine explodes! And if that happens…!"

"If that happens, then you blow the mine!" Misato ordered, her eyes fierce and determined. "I don't care if I'm still attached to it! If we can get the mine past the Angel's AT-Field, then we have no choice but to proceed!

_"What?"_ Maya gawked, her jaw dropping in horror. "But…you could be killed!"

"Maybe, maybe not. That's not important right now! What matters is that we have to stop that Angel! Period! Those are your…!" Misato growled, only to cut herself off. The irritation that shone on her face suddenly faded, and was replaced by confusion…and a bit of fear.

"Major?" Maya started, confusion ruling as Misato's eyes widened.

_This…this feeling,_ Misato thought, shuddering as she looked about the interceptor's interior. For a brief, terrifying moment, it was replaced with the ocean of death from her dreams. The vision was brief, fading a moment later, but the hideous sensation it inspired in her remained. A feeling of danger, similar to the one that had haunted her since before she had even set foot on the _Over the Rainbow,_ the feeling she had felt just before losing consciousness in Gendo's office, before her nightmare began.

"Major, what is it?" Maya tried again, stepping closer to Misato. The purple-haired just kept looking about as that sensation tugged at her consciousness. As she did so, she finally looked as far right as she could, her features hardening as she felt the sensation even more strongly.

"Makoto, change course right now!" Misato ordered fiercely. "We have to turn to the right!"

"Huh?" Maya got out, frowning as she tipped her head.

"Major, are you sure about that?" Makoto asked, his dubiousness clinging to his voice, even through the intercom.

"Positive! Just keep turning until I tell you to stop!" Misato insisted, the sensation already growing stronger.

There was an ugly pause, one that only served to fuel Misato's irritation. Finally, after a long time, Makoto was heard saying, "I guess it can't hurt, right?"

"I guess not," Shigeru replied. Misato could almost see the two of them shrugging. Humoring their somewhat crazed superior.

"Alright!" Makoto finally responded, speaking louder. "We're changing course right now."

"I know," Misato answered, closing her eyes in concentration. She could already feel the source of the sensation shifting in relationship to her. "Wait! Stop! That's it!"

"Huh?" Makoto replied.

"Just hold our present course!" Misato ordered, the sensation growing stronger with each passing second.

"If you say so, Major," Makoto answered, unable to quite hide his dubiousness.

Looking from the panel with intercom to where Misato hung before her, Maya frowned her own befuddlement. "Major…why the course change?"

"Because now we're heading towards the Angel," Misato told her, looking in the direction in which she was certain her enemy lay.

"But how do you know that?" Maya asked, spreading her hands. Then she smiled, a bit of humor sparking in her. "Is it women's intuition?"

"No. It's not anything like that," Misato responded, frowning as she rapidly analyzed what she was feeling. "Ever since the mess with Jet Alone, I've been having these feelings like something's…watching me. Something dangerous. And…I don't how, but…I'm sensing something like it. Right now."

"What?" Maya asked, fear mixing with awe. "You mean…you can sense the _Angel?_"

"Yeah. I think so," Misato admitted, her certainty growing. "I don't how or why this is happening, but…I can find the damn thing. Just keep going in this direction." When Maya just kept looking at the Major, she then managed a wan smile. "I mean, it's not like we have any better ideas." A moment passed, and then the Captain nodded, even smiling herself.

Misato was glad for this. It was easier, making jokes. Keeping her mind focused, her feelings in check. For the sensation she sensed stirred something in her. All of the anger and hatred that had been spawned by Second Impact was now rising up to the surface, and she couldn't let that happen. Not just yet.

As she worked to reign in her emotions, Misato was distracted when Makoto was heard over the intercom. "Major! We've sighted the Angel!" he announced excitedly. "It's ahead of us, and descending! Looks like it's getting ready to drop in on Tokyo-3!"

"Good…work, Makoto," Misato got out, smiling tersely. "Can you…bring it up on the screen down here?"

"Sure thing!" Makoto answered, and soon Misato's request was reality. The nearby monitor flickered to life, revealing the latest creature of destruction. Just one of the beasts the Major now lived to destroy. And as she studied the monster, she couldn't but tense at the straps that attached her to the mine. She found her anticipation growing, already aching to launch into her mission. To sate her growing lust for its destruction…

* * *

Letting out a breath of wariness, Maya couldn't disguise her concerns. In a strange way, she couldn't help but wish that they had failed to find the Angel. For although she was loathe to place the burden of their survival on the children, they were still better suited to accomplishing it than they were. Than _she _was.

But they had succeeded so far. They had found the Angel. And that meant that everything that happened next was her responsibility. The moment Misato transformed, that was the moment Maya was officially in charge of every element of the mission. With success or failure, along with the lives of everyone around her, falling squarely upon her shoulders.

_We don't even have a real plan! _Maya protested inwardly, as every single thing that could possibly go wrong running through her mind, as well as a few impossibilities her own subconscious tossed in, just for the sake of making her sweat that much more. _The N2 might not work…its pretty jury-rigged as it is…or if the Major misses…or her parachute…or the Angel might attack…or…_

"Makoto…take us…into position," Misato ordered gutturally.

"Yes, sir!" Makoto returned. "Major, we only have twenty-one minutes before the Angel impacts!"

"Then don't…waste anymore time!" Misato growled. "Get us into position! And ready the remote detonation system! We're only gonna get…one chance!"

"Understood," Makoto answered.

Maya could feel the interceptor gaining altitude, saw the Angel change position on the screen before her. And she knew then that they really were going to do it. And despite the fact that Angel before them was the most potentially destructive she had ever seen…it was the operation that lay before them that truly scared her. She couldn't help but stare at the monster, her every thought on what was coming.

Just as Maya was getting truly getting wrapped up in her fears, a groan from Misato broke her from her thoughts. "Uh…Maya…?"

_She sounds scared, _was Maya's first thought, actually smiling. _Then again, who wouldn't be?_ Hoping that fear and common sense were sinking into Misato's mind, she turned towards the older woman, whose face was lowered to the floor.

"Look, Major, it's not too late," Maya began, her voice on of pure sympathy. "I understand how you must feel, and…I'm sure you must be worried, and…"

"That's…not it," Misato got out, struggling with her words. Maya frowned…only to have her eyes bug clear out of their sockets when the Major met her gaze with eyes that were pulsating with deadly green light. Green that was already trying to force its way through veins as she smiled ruefully and confessed, "I don't think I'm gonna need that provoker…after all."

Her jaw falling to the floor as one of her many fears was realized, Maya cried out, "Oh, _shit! _Major! You _can't _transform _now!_ We're not in position!"

"I know…Maya," Misato growled, her body already bulging beneath the loose NERV jumpsuit she now wore. "But…trying telling that…to _her!_"

"Major, if you transform now, we'll have to jettison you _and_ the bomb!" Maya reminded her, horrified as wisps of green ran through her blood, touching her muscles. The monster within her already clawing its way to the surface.

"I know that, but…she doesn't care! She wants out! She wants…to get out…and kill that thing!" Misato spat out, a savage grin splitting her face. "For that matter…so do I!"

Looking this way and that for a way out of this nightmare, Maya could only look at the open intercom. "Makoto! How much longer until we're position?"

"Just a few more seconds!" the bespectacled Lieutenant replied. "I just need to verify our position with the MAGI before we can deploy!"

Finding those few seconds too long a time for her liking, Maya turned to look at the Major. Tears were already appearing in her jumpsuit, her skin darkening as wild instinct twisted her face. "Maya…get to the bridge!" Misato ordered, her voice almost a roar. "You…you're in charge now! Complete the mission…no matter what!"

Frozen for a moment's time, Maya could only watch as a hate-filled growl tore its way free of Misato's throat. This was all the incentive she needed to run away, to head to the cockpit. Thinking to herself, _As if I didn't hate flying enough as it is!_

* * *

Misato could feel it rising up within her. The beast, the savage destroyer that had been spawned by both the power of Adam and human science, was making its way to the surface. Her mind, her very humanity was slowly being wiped away, being replaced by feral impulses, by instinct and rage.

_Not…just yet! _Misato cried out within her own mind, trying to reason with that which could not be reasoned with. _Just…a little longer…!_

_Smash the Angel…smash it, kill it, crush it, smash it…_ another voice rang within her. Something ancient and terrible, that had been a part of humans since their evolution. That had enabled them to survive against creatures bigger and stronger than them before they had the power of civilization to shield them.

_No! Not yet! _Misato fought back, trying to hold onto her own mind, just for a little while longer. _If I change now…then they'll jettison me! Jettison _us_! And then…we'll never get to the Angel! And then…it will be the children facing that damned thing!_

This bought her a moment of blessed silence, a brief respite. _The…children…?_

_Yes! Think about them! Think…about Shinji!_ she fought back. Holding the image of the boy who had already suffered so much, partly because of Misato and her need for revenge. _We…just have once chance. Have to do this right…because if you screw this up…that Angel will be falling on _his_ head! Got that?_

Though the creature's rage and her own hatred of the Angels continued to rise within her, Misato could sense the monster's hesitation. It gave her barely enough leeway to halt the transformation, hold it down.

The strain was murderous. Beyond anything Misato could have imagined. Sweat rolled down her face, her heart pounded incessantly, every cell of her body screamed in pain as they hovered on the verge between one form and another. But she held on, screwed her eyes shut in concentration. Focused her thoughts on the people in her life, the people who lived in Tokyo-3, who would lose their homes, their hope for the future if the Angel wasn't stopped. She saw the children, who bore the burden that she had forced on them. She saw her Shinji, trapped in a life that only served to make him unhappy…

"Now!" Makoto's cut in, even as Misato heard the door pop open.

Her green eyes shooting open, Misato let an inhuman howl as she and the N2 were launched from the interceptor. The wind rushing past her, the interceptor spinning about in her view, Misato tumbled uncontrollably through the air. Every fragile mental barricade she had erected against the beast was shattered. Gasping as raw, untamed power rushing through her body, causing muscles to swell and her bones to rebuild themselves for greater strength. Green spread across her skin, her slight frame giving away and exploding out of the jumpsuit, leaving nothing but rags about the newly freed She-Hulk.

_It's up to you, now! _Misato cried out, even as she fell into the darkness of her own subconscious. _Don't screw this up, or…it'll be the children fighting this thing. So don't let them down. Don't let _him _down!_

With this last thought echoing in her primitive mind, She-Hulk looked about, caught sight of the Angel…and snarled eagerly.

* * *

"Did she make it?" Maya asked as she arrived in the cockpit, her face the very picture of desperation.

"Confirmed!" Makoto reported, his eyes glued to the image of the figure falling towards the Angel. "The Major is transformed, and she's on course for the Angel!"

Frowning as she watched, Maya looked on helplessly as She-Hulk fell, her deadly burden all too visible. Misato's orders ringing within her mind. "What about the Angel? Any sign that it's noticed her?"

"Not that I can see," Shigeru informed them. "It's still descending."

"Can the Major catch it?" Makoto wondered.

"Looks like it," Shigeru informed them. "The Angel is still approaching Tokyo-3, so it's not in freefall. Not yet."

The three of them just kept watching as She-Hulk continued to fall closer to the Angel, tension dripping from the longhaired Lieutenant as he reported, "Fifteen seconds until she comes in contact with the Angel's AT-Field!"

Unconsciously, the three of them kept leaning closer to the monitor, watching in silence as She-Hulk fell, the seconds passing by silently. Then, with blinding intensity, the gamma-powered Amazon slammed into the protective wall of light that all Angels possessed. Though they could hear nothing, the three bridge bunnies could easily imagine the screech of rage that She-Hulk was surely releasing.

The monitor on maximum of magnification, Maya and the others continued to watch as She-Hulk clawed at the AT-Field, her muscles bulging as she flexed her arms, and began pulling the wall of energy apart. As the crack in the barrier became larger, the savage she-beast wedged her feet into it, and began exerting her legs as well. Even as the AT-Field tried to close in about her, the beast-woman fought back, worming her way through the barrier. Then, with a final savage roar, She-Hulk fell free of the AT-Field, she and the N2 mine continuing to fall towards her enemy.

Letting out a sigh after one hurdle was circumvented, Maya leaned back, running her forearm across her brow. "Say, Maya?" came Shigeru's voice.

"Yeah?" Maya replied, looking at the part-time guitarist. Who was looking several shades paler than usual.

"I was just wondering," Shigeru started, looking in grim humor as She-Hulk successfully landed on the edge of the Angel's main body. "Do you think we're allowed to feel sorry for an Angel?"

* * *

As She-Hulk's bare feet touched down on the orange flesh of the Angel, she looked about wildly, her eyes burning with animalistic hatred. Raising her arms in warning, she cut loose with a mighty roar that cracked the very air around her.

The strange sensations that Misato had sensed, She-Hulk felt with many times the intensity. Sensations that drove her rage to new heights, sending her out of her mind with fury. She looked around, and saw the Angel. Saw one of the things that she hated above all. And it was everywhere. _Everywhere!_

"Detaching N2 mine!" came a voice She-Hulk recognized. Frowning in confusion, she looked about, but did not see the source of the voice. Instead, she heard a slight detonation, and growled as her balance shifted. Turning to look behind her, she saw the strange object she had been carrying fall to the Angel's flesh. With a mechanical hiss, a series of spikes spat up from the device's surface, burying themselves within the Angel's skin.

"That did it!" came another voice, one that Misato knew. Within the She-Hulk's mind, visions of people from her other life appeared. "The mine is in place! We can detonate at any time!"

"Major! This is Maya! Can you hear me?" came another voice.

The beast-woman didn't respond. She merely snorted as she looked about, and once again saw herself surrounded by the Angel. Felt the power it wielded, so similar to that which she hated above all.

"Listen to me! The mine is ready to detonate!" Maya continued. "You have to jump now! We can't destroy the Angel with you still there!"

_Destroy the Angel…? _the creature thought, and all of the sudden, she exploded with fury. Roaring hatefully, she focused her fury on the Angel, bringing her fists together, and driving them down upon the huge bomber. Her eyes spitting emerald fury, She-Hulk drew up her fists, only to slam them down again. And again, with each strike she made sending sparks of green fire into the air, orange flesh shuddering against the power of her green fists.

"Major, please! Stop it!" Maya's voice rang out again. "You have to jump now! We just have fifteen minutes left until the Angel crashes! Please!"

Snarling, She-Hulk swatted at her ear, and felt something crunching. Bringing her hand away, she saw tiny shards of plastic in her hand. However, what was most important to her was that the voice was now silent.

Though she was incapable of articulating such thoughts, She-Hulk was glad for the silence. She didn't want anyone chattering at her to leave the Angel, she didn't want to hear about plans and how she should escape. Because she didn't want to escape. She didn't care about stupid machines or minutes or any of those other things. All that she knew, all that she really cared about, was that an _Angel _was right here, within her grasp. And she wasn't going to escape. She wasn't going to jump so that something else could kill it. Because _she _was the one who would smash the Angel. It was hers, her prey, _her_ enemy. No one else could have it, no one would take this kill from her.

Already forgetting the voice and the stupid machine, She-Hulk knelt down upon the Angel, and drove her fist into it. Her green knuckles tore into the Angel's body, digging deep into its flesh. Roaring at the sight of blood spilling forth from the wound, at the pain she was wreaking on her enemy, the green destroyer gritted her teeth, and brought her free hand to the wound, while withdrawing her other fist. Placing her hands on both ends of the wound, She-Hulk began tearing at it, widening the opening. Causing more blood to spill forth.

She wanted more. She wanted to hear the Angel scream in pain, to squeal with every twist of its flesh. To cry out at her every blow. She wanted it to suffer. To suffer as she herself had.

Spreading her arms, She-Hulk forced the wound ever wider, until it was several feet wide. Grinning savagely at the ragged flesh she saw within. The blood that was still oozing forth, with pustules of orange appearing before her. Pustules that kept growing…until they detached from the wound and began to float away.

Grunting in suspicion, She-Hulk watched as the globes of Angelic tissue floated towards her. Something about this seemed familiar, sparking memories of something Misato had seen. Something that was somehow dangerous.

As She-Hulk examined the globules, her attention was torn between them and the gaping wound that she still held open. What caution she had inherited from Misato soon giving way to the seething hatred she had, the desire to rip open this hole even further. To tear this Angel apart.

Finally, with a roar of consummate rage, She-Hulk greeted the encroaching globes with her fist, intent on smashing them.

Much to her surprise, the globules smashed back.

At the slightest contact, the globes exploded with a blast of light and noise. Stumbling backwards by the unexpected assault, She-Hulk finally recovered, and looked back at where the unexpected enemies had appeared from. As the residual dust and debris cleared, not only could she see more of the globules appear, but before her emerald irises, the wound she had just torn open closed and mended itself. Disappearing into nothingness.

Furious at how she was being thwarted by this hateful abomination, She-Hulk sucked in breath after infuriated breath. Her first impulse was to smash the stupid little globes that were in her way. But she had already seen the result of such an act. So she took in another deep breath, her eyes lighting up, and released a massive roar. A massive green distortion rippled through the air, slamming into the globules, detonating them well away from the green beast stood.

Grinning in triumph, She-Hulk crouched and flexed her arms, displaying her muscles, her overwhelming power at the puny Angel that was trying to destroy her home. To take what little she had left from her.

The Angel's response was to have even more of the globules appear from its skin. Tiny orange bombs that floated towards She-Hulk.

Snarling her frustration, the Amazonian destroyer roared again, cutting a swathe through the bombs. They then detonated, taking many of their fellows with them. But this still left more to be smashed. So she roared again. And again. Smashing globe after globe, lighting up the Angel's skin with fire and destruction.

And still more appeared. More coming closer to her, from every side.

Her rage growing, She-Hulk's strength grew as well. With every breath she took, her mass increased. Muscles swelled even more, splitting her jumpsuit even further.

The globes were not impressed. They simply kept growing closer as She-Hulk roared, sending destruction at them again. Turning her head from one side to the next, the mighty beast-woman's Impact Roar cut apart her enemies, clearing away everything that stood before her. Even as the globes sprouted, they were destroyed before they could even fully appear, shredding the Angel's orange skin.

She-Hulk was delighted, and took another breath, determined to roar, and keep roaring. To smash the Angel apart with its own stupid globules.

Until she was reminded that there were globules behind her as well.

Another flash of light and noise appearing from behind, She-Hulk was sent flying by the blast. More surprised than anything, the green beast quickly recovered, and looked back. Seeing more of the puny little globes that were trying to hurt her, to smash her, she snarled lividly, her fingers digging into the Angel's flesh. Acting on pure instinct, She-Hulk tore two chunks of the Angel's body away, and flung them at the globes. Once again, they detonated…but this did nothing to clear away the sheer number of them. Did nothing to change the fact that they were swarming her.

Snorting and snarling as they continued to close in on her, She-Hulk instinctively began swatting at them. Waving her arms frantically at the stupid globes that were keeping her from smashing the Angel. The globes hovered about her, one coming out right before her. Almost as if it were mocking her, laughing at her impotence.

Completely out of her mind with rage, the jade giantess swung both hands, determined to smash the stupid globe so thoroughly, it wouldn't be able to smash her back. She-Hulk missed the globule, and with all her immense strength, her hands slammed together…and released a deafening roar of thunder.

To her astonishment, the tremendous force she unleashed sent all of the stupid little balls scurrying away from her, scattering in every direction. Looking about, She-Hulk saw that for a moment, she was free of her tormentors. Then she saw more of the balls trying to appear, while the rest were changing course, once again trying to attack her.

Snarling, She-Hulk once again slammed her hands together, the concussive force of the strike scattering the balls again. Her heart pounding in her fury, her face twisted with savage delight at the new power that she had found. The stupid little balls could no longer stop her. All that was left to was to smash the puny Angel.

Bending down, she once again dug her hands into the Angel's body, and began ripping into its body. Growling, She-Hulk kept peeling away more and more, moving forward as she kept tearing into the Angel, until she had a lengthy section of the Angel's flesh in her hands. With a final, savage yank, she freed the piece of flesh from the Angel's body, and raised it high above her head. Roaring in triumph, she looked at the bloody mess she had left, a wound that was already trying to close itself, even as it sprouted more of the stupid, exploding balls.

Not giving the balls a chance to lift away from the Angel, She-Hulk took the chunk of the Angel's own body and brought it down upon the wound. The balls exploding from the impact, She-Hulk saw that all the Angel had succeeded in doing was helping her deepen the wound in its body. Looking into the wound, She-Hulk felt something tickling in the back of her brain. An awareness of some kind. As she stared at the wound, the savage Amazon knew something was down there. Something important.

She-Hulk didn't know how she knew; she didn't even have enough of a mind to wonder about such things. All that really mattered was that she knew. With a deep grin, She-Hulk leapt into the wound, determined to find whatever she was sensing and smash it.

Just as she jumped, the Angel tried to send even more of the stupid globes after her. She-Hulk's response was to roar even as she fell, blowing apart the balls before they could finish taking shape. The massive detonation resulted in further carnage, deepening the hole in the Angel's body before mindless savage had even landed. Her bare feet landed in a pool of blood, her nose filling with the sensation of the Angel's pain. This sensation drove her completely wild as she bent down and began digging. Tearing into the Angel, she dug out chunks of its body and sent them flying away. In response, the stupid Angel tried to send more of its tiny balls against her, but She-Hulk quickly obliterated them, her Impact Roar ripping many of the balls apart. Widening the hole and making the tickle in her mind even stronger. Until finally, as she hurled gobbets of the Angel's body away, she saw something.

Instead of blood or orange flesh, She-Hulk saw something crystalline before her. A deep red gem, whose glow filled her eyes.

_The core, _Misato's voice whispered into the She-Hulk's simple mind. _Must smash…smash Angel._

At the same time, the light of the core sent She-Hulk's mind reeling with hatred and rage. Roaring her fury at the thing, she fell upon the core, pounding it with all her strength. Driving her fists into the core time after time, the beast-woman lashed out, lost in her fury. Snippets of her human life wafted before her eyes, images of people and places long gone, stolen from her by the Angels.

Rage and strength flooding her body, She-Hulk watched as each blow she struck cracked the core that much more, until finally, her rage at its peak, she punched the core, and her fist shattered the crystal, driving deeply into it.

A roar of purest victory tore free from her throat, even as the Angel's flesh swelled dangerously…and finally exploded.

* * *

For several minutes, Maya and the others watched from the relative safety of the interceptor. Watched as their former superior became lost within the confines of her own mutation. Fought the battle that none of them could.

This was a feeling that they were all used to. What they weren't used to was being cut off from their friend. Unable to warn her, advise of what was happening. Unable to help her escape when it looked like she was in danger.

Then, as Shigeru monitored the situation, relief shone in his face. "The Major did it!" he cried out. "She got to the core! The blue pattern's dissipating!"

At these words, a deep sigh of relief escaped from Maya. She wiped away the sweat that had been building up since She-Hulk had smashed the earpiece that connected her to them. _It's over, _was the weary thought that ran through her mind.

Just in time for the Angel to explode.

Reeling with horror as her mind was cleared of all thought, Maya watched with her friends as the Angel split apart, destroyed by its own power. This explosion was followed by a second one, a blast of blinding light that surpassed the force of the initial explosion. Just barely functioning, she automatically realized that what she had seen was the N2 mine Maya herself had helped ready for this mission.

_"No! Major!" _Maya cried out helplessly, bringing her hands to her eyes. Desperate to blind herself to her friend's death.

Staggered by the sheer force of what he had seen, Makoto the jumped in his seat. "Wait! I see something!" he cried out, jabbing a finger at the monitor.

Following Makoto's finger, Maya scrutinized the screen, and saw that something was falling from the billowing cloud of the Angel's demise. "Debris from the blast?"

"I don't think so," Shigeru reported, his fingers pounding on his workstation. After several seconds, he let go a smile. "I'm picking up a red/blue pattern and gamma signature! It's the Major!"

"She's alive?" Makoto cried out in delighted relief.

Maya suffered a moment of relief before she realized that the Major wasn't safe just yet. Even if She-Hulk was still alive, she had just endured two massive explosions. And with the sheer force of them, the safety gear she had been equipped with would certainly have been destroyed. Leaving her thousands of feet in the air, without a parachute. Punching one of the controls, the Captain opened a channel to their backup team. "Shinji, Asuka, Rei! Please, come in!"

"What is it, Maya?" Shinji asked, even as his image and those of the others appeared before her.

"Listen to me!" Maya cried out desperately. "The Major just destroyed the Angel, but she's lost her parachute!"

"What?" Shinji gasped out, his expression becoming one of purest horror.

"Shigeru, monitor the Major! And send her course to the children!" Maya ordered, beyond all of her fears and acting on impulse. "If there's any chance of saving her, we have to take it!"

"On it!" Shigeru replied, his fingers dancing as sweat once again poured down his face.

"All Evas, move out!" Maya ordered, her own heart thundering at the fear, the knowledge, that she was already too late.

* * *

_Misato! _was the thought that ran through Shinji's mind as Unit 01's umbilical detached, the horned destroyer launching into a run. In his mind, he saw his guardian plunging to the Earth, but not as the green beast she had been cursed to become. Instead, he saw her wearing a radiation suit, the same one she had cracked before braving the inside of the Jet Alone robot.

He had failed to save her then. Shinji was determined that he would not fail her again.

"Listen, we only have a rough trajectory, based on what we can see from up here!" Maya told them, pure desperation wrapped around each word. "I don't know what you can do, but…please, just do something!"

Maya's words and the image of Misato spurring him on, Shinji was oblivious to the buildings as they blurred past him, to the trees and mountains. He ignored the timer that ticked down the minutes of power available to him. His eyes were on the sky, searching desperately for any sign of the monster that held the heart of a woman. A woman who meant so much to him.

Desperately following the information relayed to the Eva, Shinji spied…something. He wasn't sure if it was a cloud or what, but it was falling to his right. Adjusting course, he watched as the tiny speck in the sky grew more visible. He still wasn't sure what it was, but a corona of fire surrounded it.

Something pricking the back of his mind, Shinji forced Unit 01 to move that much faster. Time slowed to a crawl as he watched the fiery object fall closer. The hum of the Eva faded away, the taste of blood that was always with him disappeared. His entire world became that object. An object that the Eva leapt to…and caught in its hands.

"Misato!" Shinji cried out as the Eva landed, digging furrows in the Earth as he looked at what he had caught. His eyes took in the lines, the curves of the being that now lay in Unit 01's hands, and smiled. For despite the burning flames coloring her flesh, despite the fact that she was once again completely nude, he still saw her moving. And knew that his Misato was alive.

Then he realized that something was wrong.

Though Shinji couldn't see any signs of her being injured, She-Hulk was still writhing about in the Eva's hands, growling, clutching her own body like she was getting ready to explode. At first, he thought she was just in pain from the impact, until he realized something.

Though the flames that clung to her body had mostly died out, her skin was still a fiery red.

"Misato?" Shinji cried out, his voice being carried by the Eva's external speakers. As he watched in confusion, She-Hulk twisted about, falling from Unit 01's grasp. Landing on the grassy earth, her red flesh set the fauna ablaze with the slightest touch.

Unable to sit by and watch and knowing that Unit 01's power would not last much longer, Shinji maneuvered the Eva so that it was lying down, and then extended the Entry Plug. Forcing open the hatch, Shinji dragged himself into the open air, falling to his knees and coughing up the LCL that filled his lungs. The sickening sensation of disgorging the foul fluid wreaking havoc on him, Shinji did his best to recover, and slowly staggered to his feet, and watch as She-Hulk rampaged.

"Misato!" he cried out, running fearlessly towards the creature, even as she roared. Her voice cut open the air, carrying both rage and pain as a wave of green poured from her mouth.

Shinji's face twisted with shock, for this Impact Roar was different than those of the past. The green wave was far more intense than all the previous ones, and every time it touched something, it practically _melted. _The trees and bushes incinerated, wrapped in green flames as they sagged into molten charcoal. The beast-woman roared again and again, bringing her fists down upon the earth and shattering everything she could lay her hands upon. Her entire body was shuddering, as if she couldn't stay still, even for a moment.

Shaking his head as he watched her continue, rampaging mindlessly and completely out-of-control, Shinji was brought to the verge of tears. "Misato!" he cried one more time.

With a start, the savage Amazon looked about, her eyes meeting Shinji's own. Steam rising up from her form, her breasts heaving with each breath, she looked at the boy. And before Shinji's eyes, Misato began to change. The twitches and spasms that wracked her body slowly eased, and her blazing red skin slowly darkened, becoming a familiar shade of green.

Heaving a deep breath of relief, Shinji walked towards She-Hulk, his eyes focused on the face that remained relatively unchanged from that of his guardian. "Misato," he smiled, even as the creature stumbled towards him as well. Tilting this way, then that, the creature finally fell to one knee.

Quickening his pace, Shinji went up to her. For a moment, his old fear of contact tried to restrain him, but in the end, Shinji placed his hands about She-Hulk. With his touch, she looked at him, relief appearing in her feral eyes, and once again, she began to change. Green slowly faded to pink, her body became slender and smaller. Eventually, Misato Katsuragi collapsed onto Shinji, her arms wrapped about his tiny frame.

When the final spark of green abandoned her brown eyes, Misato looked groggily at Shinji's face, and was met with a tear-filled face…and the brightest, most genuine of smiles. "Shinji…" she got out. The boy said nothing; he simply knelt there, sniffing happily. "Did I…did I do it?" Misato asked, mustering all the strength she could to ask this question. Her desperate need for this answer shining through.

Nodding eagerly, Shinji answered, "You did it, Misato. The Angel's gone, all because of you."

Sighing, a blissful expression shaping her features, Misato tightened her grip on the boy, even as her eyes closed. Already asleep, she fell on top of Shinji, the two of them toppling to the ground. With Shinji turning red as he got a face full of Misato's cleavage. Just as the pounding feet of two other Evas were heard approaching.

* * *

"Auugh! That little _pervert!_" Asuka was heard screeching, her voice transmitted to the interceptor.

"Asuka?" Maya got out, her uniform soaked with sweat. Sweat born of being blind, of being helpless. "What is it? What's going on?"

"Ikari-kun located Major Katsuragi," Rei reported, sounding as cool and collected as she usually did. "She is currently unconscious, but appears unharmed."

"Yeah, and the old whore is all over the baka!" Asuka sneered disdainfully. "Honestly, what is the matter with him, anyway?"

Ignoring Asuka's diatribe about hormonal Stooges and drunken sluts, Maya sat back in her chair, the tension abandoning her as the news that everyone was alright slowly worked its way through her. Her entire body felt weak, and her breath came slowly.

"Hey, Maya!" Shigeru started. Looking about vaguely at her surroundings, the Captain eventually focused on the part-time guitarist. "The Major did it! Isn't this great?"

"Yeah!" Makoto agreed with somewhat sour attitude. "Great for _Shinji, _anyway!"

Nodding slowly, thoughtfully, Maya then shook her head. _Yeah, everything worked out just fine…this time, _she thought, knowing full well that this was what her life would like for now on. Until the Major was cured or Gendo could think of someone to replace her…she would go through this exact same scenario, time after time. Watching helplessly as the people under her command struggled against impossible odds, risking life and limb, while she sat back, perfectly safe, and perfectly helpless to do anything but watch as her orders put the people she cared for in harm's way.

"Say, Makoto? Shigeru?" Maya asked, remembering her earlier conversation with Misato.

"Yeah? What is it?" Makoto replied, looking at her in concern.

"Do you…know any good bars?" Maya asked tiredly. "I think I need a drink. Bad."

* * *

"Congratulations, Misato," Ritsuko grinned, standing once more the Major's current dwelling with a laughing curl to her lips. "Short of the Angel annihilating Tokyo-3, just about everything that could have gone wrong with this operation _did_ go wrong." Taking a deep breath as she examined her friend, she looked at her and the other pilots, who were presently gathered there. "Still, the Angel was destroyed, and you're all still breathing, so I guess I can't complain too much."

"I guess not," Misato agreed from her place on the sofa. Still wearing the same smile of deep satisfaction that she had worn since she woken up in NERV Medical.

"So, how does it feel?" Ritsuko asked, sitting down before her. "Finally getting back at one of the Angels?"

Her smile only deepening with a certain wry humor, Misato averted her eyes, seeming to consider the question. "It feels pretty damned good, actually. Though I'm sure it'd feel better if I could _remember_ killing the damned thing!"

This statement got a laugh out of everyone present, save for Rei. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it," Asuka spoke, her hands at her hips. "Because the next Angel that shows up is going to be all mine!"

"Not if I get to it first!" Misato countered.

As even more laughter resulted of this exchange, Shinji looked at the doctor. "Uh, Akagi-san?" the boy asked. "Have you figured out what happened to Misato? I mean…why did she turn red back there?"

"I'm not sure," Ritsuko admitted, not liking the unanswered question. "There's still a great deal we don't know about this mutation. We'll have to conduct some more tests, but…" Leaving the sentence hanging, Ritsuko finally shrugged, holding up her hands helplessly.

These words hung in the air, dampening the air of celebration. The sudden gloom was dispelled when a communications link opened from the bridge. A holographic display appeared in the center of the living room, just above the table situated between Misato and the children seated there. "Hey, Major?" came Shigeru's voice as he appeared in the display.

"Hey, Shigeru," Misato smiled. "How're you and the others doing?"

"Oh, we're all okay," the guitarist replied easily. "Listen, our wireless communications have been restored. We're receiving a transmission from Commander Ikari. He wants to talk to you."

Her expression hardening, Misato nodded. "Connect him, please."

"Yes, ma'am," Shigeru answered. His image then disappeared from the hologram, and was replaced by the words, 'Sound Only'.

"Major Katsuragi. I just got the report regarding NERV's engagement against this most recent Angel," Gendo started without preamble. "However, there are several…gaps in it."

"I apologize, sir," Misato returned politely. "Due to the sensitive nature of the engagement, I felt it…unwise to send the full report to you directly."

"Should we take this to mean that a more…complete version will be waiting for us upon our return?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Yes, sir," Misato replied.

"I see," Gendo said, his words telling them that he already had a rough idea as to how this battle was won. "In any case, excellent work, Major Katsuragi. I look forward to seeing you…and hearing the full story."

"Thank you, Commander," Misato nodded.

"That will be all for now," Gendo continued. "I'll leave the handling of the rest of this in your hands."

"Yes, sir," was all Misato could say to that.

The holographic display then returned to an image of Shigeru. "Transmission terminated, Major."

"Understood. Thanks again," Misato answered, and Shigeru himself disappeared. The purple-haired woman then leaned back, stretching like the proverbial cat who ate the canary. "So now that we've saved the world…what do we do now?"

"Well, all things considered, I think that a victory like this deserves a reward, don't you?" Ritsuko spoke, an impish smile forming on her serious face. "So…who's in the mood for five-star dinner, courtesy of one of the finest restaurants in Tokyo-3? Delivered here for all of you to enjoy?"

Misato's eyes expanded at this. "No way!" she got out, unable to believe what her best friend was saying. "A five-star dinner? Are you kidding me?"

"Well, all things considered, I think you deserve a victory celebration," Ritsuko stated, looking warmly at her friend. "So what do you say, Misato? My treat?"

"What do I say?" Misato replied, cocking her to one side. "I'd say that you must get paid a lot more than I do if you can afford something like!"

Ritsuko just laughed at that. "So, I guess I should take that as a yes?"

"Yeah. Definitely," Misato agreed. However, as she watched her friend depart, a dark cloud once again appeared on her face.

Noticing the change in expression, Shinji leaned towards her worriedly. "Misato? What is it?"

"Huh?" Misato started. Turning to face Shinji, she put a smile on her face for his benefit. "Oh, it's nothing, Shinji-kun! I was just…wondering what I should have for dinner, that's all!"

Seemingly satisfied by this, Shinji looked away. And so he didn't see Misato's worried expression return. For her thoughts weren't on dinner, or of food at all. She found herself thinking of how she had been able to locate the Angel, the strange feeling it had inspired in her. A feeling so similar to what she had experienced in Gendo's office.

_I'm going to have some questions for the Commander when he gets back, _Misato decided grimly. _And he better have really good answers for me…or else._

* * *

Author's Notes: Ouch. Never thought I'd feel sorry for an Angel! I hope this battle satisfied you smash-happy types out there! Please, read and review! And check out my other stories as well, please!

Now, as some of you know, I have a site on deviantart, and have posted some sketches of the Superwomen of Eva. I recently did a rough of the scene where Misato/She-Hulk hijacks the beer truck from Chapter 3. It's rated mature, and I hope you all like it.

I must admit, as much fun as this particular story has been for me, this certainly hasn't been the easiest of crossovers to do, simply because of its very nature. Considering Misato's personality, plus the very nature of Tokyo-3 and the Eva-verse, I couldn't see her transformation remaining secret for any real length of time. Especially with Section 2 running around, keeping an eye on her place. So I knew that the instant she started transforming, her secret would be out in the open. And once that happened, Misato would only have two paths available to her; becoming trapped within NERV headquarters, or going on the run, ala Bruce Banner. And being on the run, she wouldn't exactly be available to fight Angels, now would she?

Then there's matter of the cause of her condition, namely Jet Alone. A situation that was perfectly contrived to give her a gamma-powered boost, if there ever was one. The only problem is, the next Angel that shows up after that was the 6th Angel. And She-Hulk isn't exactly suited for a water battle. Not to mention that when she spins out, she would have to do so through the people on the bridge of the _Over the Rainbow._ Not a great situation, to say the least.

So I started running through Angels, as well as possible solutions to my problem. Then it came very neatly to me; have Adam or something related to Adam be the final activator for her condition! Come up with a situation that brings Misato into close contact with the 1st Angel, and go from there! Which was why I did it the way I did: Gendo does not spend a lot of time with her to begin with, so her promotion seemed like the most probable opportunity. Plus, having a trigger like that gives me plenty of opportunities to have her hulk-out for a cameo appearance in just about any of the other stories.

Still, I have to admit, I've run into my share of problems. For example, I knew exactly from the start how I wanted her to destroy the 10th Angel, but I also knew that I had to show Misato that She-Hulk could break through AT-Fields, or she would never have committed to such a plan. Which is one of the reasons I involved Spirit in this fic. (Not that I don't have other reasons, mind you!)

Of course, I know I could have avoided all this by giving Misato complete control of her transformation and such right from the word go, but let's be honest here; where's the fun in _that?_

Not much else to say right now. On to the omakes!

Omake 1

"Misato!" Shinji cried out as the Eva landed, digging furrows in the Earth as he looked at what he had caught. His eyes took in the lines, the curves of the being that now lay in Unit 01's hands, and smiled. For despite the burning flames coloring her flesh, despite the fact that she was once again completely nude, he still saw her moving. And knew that his Misato was alive.

Then he realized that something was wrong.

"Hey, there, Shinji-kun," She-Hulk grinned, getting to her feet and standing to face the Eva, completely unconcerned over the fact that she was nude. "Thanks for the save! Not that I really needed it, but…"

"Huh? Misato?" Shinji asked, completely aghast at the situation. "Are you…is that you?"

"Hmmm…not exactly," She-Hulk admitted.

"And…why are you grey now?" Shinji wondered, perplexed by this development.

"Who knows?" She-Hulk answered, shrugging like she couldn't have cared less. With some poutiness to her, she looked at Unit 01. "Aw, don't tell me you don't like what you see, Shinji-kun?"

"Wha…?" Shinji started, completely thrown by this turn. Then he shook his head rapidly. "Oh, no! Of course not! You look great! Really! It just…surprised me. That's all."

"Good!" She-Hulk replied. "Now, could you be a good little boy, and get me back to Tokyo-3 already? I've got some…power-shopping to do!"

"Power-shopping?" Shinji repeated, completely at a loss.

* * *

"Misato!" Ritsuko cried out, her jaw falling to the floor as she took in the scene before her. "What are you doing?"

"Taking over the place, what's it look like?" She-Hulk grinned, tipping her wide-brimmed hat as she surveyed the bridge.

"Whoa!" Makoto got out, eyes popping out as he took in She-Hulk's form. "You look great in that!"

"Thanks, Makoto!" She-Hulk replied, doing a little twirl to show of her new outfit. A purple business suit and dress that did absolutely nothing to conceal her legs and breasts. "Now, c'mon, children! Let's show them how it's done!"

"Right! Stick'em up!" Asuka grinned, wearing a red suit and carrying a Tommy gun as she marched up to the various NERV personnel present.

"Yes," Rei agreed, with a white business suit and another Tommy gun.

"Uh, right!" Shinji gulped, nervously holding his gun, shifting about uncomfortably in his blue business suit and hat. "Keep your hands where we can see them!"

"Good advise, Shinji-kun!" She-Hulk commended. "Let's get to work! I want to have everything ready for when that dirty rat bastard Gendo gets back! Misato Fixit is in charge now, and he'd better be ready for me…or else!"

Omake 2

"Well, there you go, Misato!" a fanfic writer comments, gesturing at the chapter he had just finished writing. "You finally managed to kill an Angel, all by yourself, you've got a pretty nice place inside of NERV, and a five-star dinner to celebrate!"

Misato growled, folding her big, green arms as she looked things over. "Yeah, that's a nice start, alright! But I'm still not in control of the transformation in your story, and I'm not even close to getting into bed with Shinji!"

"Now, wait a minute! Those things…they take time!" Orion protested, waving his arms desperately. "I mean, there are certain things I have to do for the integrity of the story. Now, I _am _working on it, and…!"

"Well, I suggest you work _faster!_" Misato snarls, dangling the writer up by the scruff of his shirt and twirling him about. "And make sure that there's more fan service in the next chapter! I've got a reputation to maintain as the Queen of Fan Service, you know!"

"I know, believe me, I know!" Orion protests, just before being dropped back into his chair.

"And you! Yeah, you! You people out there, reading this story!" Misato growls, pointing as her eyes flashed a deeper green. "I better see more reviews over here, and quick! Or else I'm coming over to your places, and ripping up all your X-Men comics! And if you don't have any of those to tear up, I'll find something else to demolish!"

Meanwhile, Orion is sitting at the table, his head in his hands. _And here I thought I'd be safe doing some of my work back on in real life, _he thought glumly. _Why did I have to forget that one of She-Hulk's powers is the ability to cross the fourth wall whenever she feels like it?_


	12. Things Get Complicated

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 12: Things Get Complicated

_I don't believe this, _Makoto thought wearily as he entered the bar, one of several such establishments in Tokyo-3. And a place that was frequently packed with people, seeking relief from the various forms of stress associated with NERV and the war against the Angels. Though it wasn't one of the nastiest bars he had ever been to, to say that this place was high-class would be unfairly generous at best, an out-and-out lie at worst.

_Man, I can't believe I have to do this! _Makoto continued to grumble inwardly, uncomfortably aware of the people looking at him. Scrutinizing the intruder to their group intoxication, even as the otaku Lieutenant scanned the place. Searching for the sole reason he had come to this place.

When Makoto finally spotted her, he let out a slight gasp of disbelief at the condition Maya was in. She was sitting unsteadily on one of the stools, with her head resting upon the surface of the bar. Her uniform was a disaster, her hair was worse, and her cheeks were that rosy shade of pink that only occurred when someone had had several drinks too many in one sitting.

Shaking his head woefully, Makoto began to make his way over to her. Trying very hard not to disturb one of the other patrons, who all looked somewhat volatile and even more intoxicated. "Why did Shigeru have to recommend this place to her…?" the otaku muttered beneath his breath as he threaded his way over to the bar.

Finally arriving at Maya's side, Makoto looked her in the face, only to decide that she looked even worse on closer inspection. "Hey, Maya…" he started, not certain as to how he should converse with someone who was utterly plastered.

Sniffing unhappily, Maya slowly craned her head up, and unsteadily looked at Makoto. Frowning at the sight of the bespectacled Lieutenant, she tottered about for several moments, before enough wattage lit up in her mind for her to actually process his presence. "Oh…Makoto," Maya got out, her boozy breath causing Makoto to grimace before waving the smell away. "Whaddaya…doing here?"

_I was about to ask you the same thing! _Makoto answered inwardly.

"Looking for you," was what Makoto said aloud. His concern growing, he leaned closer to his friend. "Maya, what are you doing here? Dr. Akagi told me that you still have a lot of paperwork to do, and…!"

"Phhbt! Paperwork! Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! That's allsh I ever do these daysh," Maya slurred badly, shaking her head woefully at the glass of beer that still sat before her. Then she looked at Makoto perplexedly. "Why do I have to do so mush…damn paperwork, anyways?"

"Uh…" Makoto paused, realized that he had perhaps underestimated Maya's condition. "Because…it's your job?"

"Feh! Job, schmob! This isn't a (hic!) job! Ish…hell! Pure hell!" Maya snorted, shaking her head in disdain. "I used to have a…real job, you know that? A real job…with real work. Working with…synthetic peptides…and genome shequences. Cellular development and cybernetic interfashes…and stuff like that." Her expression becoming even more sorrowful, Maya once again eyed her drink. "And I had to give it away..."

"So I heard," Makoto returned, thinking of the woman Maya had chosen as her successor. "Chihiro Mifune, right?"

Maya nodded in drunken assent. "Yup. She's…Lieutenant Mifune now. Wow. You should've…sheen the look on her face…when I told her about her new job. Right before the…last Angel. My old job…and it's all hersh, now…"

"Aw, c'mon, Maya! It's not all that bad!" Makoto tried, hating this situation.

Almost two weeks had passed since the engagement with the 10th Angel, and every day, Maya had grown more stressed and haggard. For while she was an excellent technician, she clearly wasn't coping with the bureaucratic policies and the mounds of red tape she had had to plow through recently. Not to mention the fact that, with both Ikari and Fuyutsuki still away, every UN request, every communication from the JSSDF, everything that kept NERV running had landed squarely on Maya's head. With the recent batch of budget demands Ritsuko had told him about being the straw that wound up breaking her back, and sending her running from NERV to drown her sorrows in beer.

"Not allsh that bad?" Maya protested, looking up at Makoto like he was the world's biggest idiot. "Every day, nowsh…I've gotta deal with (hic!) stupid people with…shtupid problems. They keep…arguing about money, and shupplies…and whoever's more important. And because of them…I keep getting morsh…damned paperwork." With this declaration, Maya's head once again fell to the bar. "I ushed to wonder…why the Major drank so mush. Notsh…anymore!"

"Uh…well, there might have been more to it than that…" Makoto suggested mildly, not exactly sure how to handle this situation.

"Thish really…isn't so bad. Tastes pretty good…and it helpsh ya not think about…paperwork or…shtupid people," Maya commented, hoisting the glass of Yebisu, sloppily downing some of it. "But you know what would _really_ be greatsh?"

"Um…getting your old job back?" Makoto guessed.

"Yup!" Maya nodded eagerly. Then a dull spark that might have passed for cunning flashed in her eyes. "Shay…why don't I promote you?"

"What?" Makoto got out, not sure if he had heard her correctly.

"Sheriously. I could promote you…then demote myself…and get my job back!" Maya suggested sloppily, jabbing her finger into Makoto's chest. "Whaddaya think, Makoto? You like the Major…rightsh? How'd you like…her job, huh?"

"Maya…c'mon. Get up. Let's get you home," Makoto instructed, bending down so that he could take Maya's arm and brace it over his shoulders. Wrapping his free arm about her waist, he eased the Captain off of the stool. "We'll talk some more tomorrow…after you've slept it off."

"Y'know…I can see why you like the Major…she _ish _pretty, ishn't she?" Maya drawled, her feet rubbery and unstable beneath her.

"Huh?" Makoto started, looking sideways at Maya.

"Pretty. The Major," Maya elaborated, smiling crookedly. "Sempai's great and allsh, but…the Major's nishe, too. Especially when she'sh all gr-"

Slamming his hand upon Maya's mouth, Makoto looked about, searching for anyone who looked like he or she might have been listening a little too closely. Seeing nothing but faces that looked suspicious to him, he started laughing nervously. The otaku Lieutenant then quickened his pace, dragging Maya out the door as fast as he could. When they finally exited the bar, he looked about quickly, searching for any sign of someone who might overhear them. "Maya, watch it! You're not supposed to be talking about…well, you know!"

Her eyes widening, Maya slowly nodded her understanding. Breathing a sigh of relief, Makoto took his hand away from her mouth, and she smiled. "Shorry…forgot about that."

Sighing in relief, Makoto continued to help Maya to his car. "Hey, it's no problem. This stuff happens, you know?"

"I'm not, though," Maya suddenly commented. When Makoto looked back down at her, she swayed somewhat, almost knocking him off his feet. "I'm…notsh gay, that is. At least…I don't think sho."

"Huh?" Makoto gaped.

"It's…alwaysh been this way with me…I've always had an eashier time…dealing with women. You don't get…spanked for that…or anything else," Maya slurred, almost dead on her feet. "My mother...she was always so nashty. Telling ush to…shtay away from boys…"

"Right, right. I hear ya," Makoto shook his head as he desperately. Unable to believe just how far gone Maya was.

"Have you ever sheen…melted, grey broccoli?" Maya wondered unsteadily. "Well, I have. Mother…always made us eat it. And…other shtuff as well. Always yelled at us…for not eating it. And for being near boys. Got beaten up for it…too."

"Right, right," Makoto groaned as they finally arrived at his car. "You're totally smashed, you know that?"

"Hmmm…yup!" Maya responded, only to break down into a case of the giggles. While Makoto was easing her up so that she could lean upon his conveyance, the former tech was laughing madly. As if she had just discovered the world was completely insane, and she was only person intelligent enough to laugh at it all.

Rolling his eyes and wondering what exactly he could have done to deserve this, Makoto decided to change tactics. "Anyway, you won't have to worry about a lot of that paperwork for much longer," he spoke encouragingly. When Maya settled down enough to look back at him, Makoto smiled more deeply. "The Commanders should be back in a day or so. So at least you won't have to worry about the UN or…"

"Phhbt!" Maya retorted, obviously unable to think of anything intelligent to say. "Knowing them…they'll probably dump all their paperwork on me, just so they'sh don't have to do it. I know…that'sh what I'd do!"

"Now, Maya…!" Makoto started.

"Remember how the Major was…after the 7th Angel? With all that paperwork?" Maya prompted, rolling her eyes back into her skull. "Mountainsh and mountainsh of it…all because the Commanders…didn't want it! And who would?" Bringing her hand to her forehead, the brunette wiped her brow. "Makesh me shick…just thinking about it."

"Maya, c'mon!" Makoto urged, opening his door and gesturing for Maya to get inside. "Let's just go home, and…"

It was then that Maya really _was_ sick. Her eyes ballooning out of their sockets, her mouth puffed out like a toad's before she curled over. Staggering over to the side of one of the buildings, Maya's stomach violently protested her activities of this evening by sending its contents flying all over the place.

Groaning in dismay as he watched his friend vomit, Makoto placed his hand to his temple, shaking his head woefully. _I think I hate Maya's new job even more than she does! _he thought, realizing that he was in for even longer night than he thought.

* * *

"Hmmm…" was the only sound to escape Ritsuko's lips as she looked at the display before her. Scrutinizing the magnified image of the blood sample she was studying.

"You don't sound too happy, Dr. Akagi," came a relatively unfamiliar voice. When Ritsuko looked up, almost expecting to see Maya at her traditional place, she saw her new understudy instead.

"I'm not, Chihiro" Ritsuko confessed immediately, pinching the bridge of her nose as she studied Lieutenant Mifune, who was proving to be a capable assistant, but less subdued and adept than Maya. The two of them were working in the research lab that lay just outside of Misato's current residence, going over the various specimens they had taken from the purple-haired woman. Both before and after the battle with the 10th Angel.

"Care to tell me what the problem is?" Chihiro asked with an undercurrent of concern. "I know I don't understand the Major's condition as well as you do, but…"

"That's just it. I'm beginning to think I don't understand it at all!" Ritsuko protested tiredly. "Every time I look at one of Misato's cell samples, I find something new. And I'm not talking about in a good way."

"So…do you have any idea what happened out there?" Chihiro wondered, cocking her head as she looked at her superior. "Why she reacted to those blasts like that?"

"I have a few theories, but…" Ritsuko admitted, before shaking her head. Desperately wishing she could enjoy a smoke while within several miles of the delicate materials before her.

"Not looking forward to telling the Major about them, huh?" Chihiro gathered.

"Something like that," Ritsuko confessed. "Besides…I'd like to make sure of a few things before…before I try to talk to her about them. I mean…we know a lot about _what _this mutation does, and what triggers it, but when it comes to the whys and hows…" Trailing off as she raised her hands helplessly, Ritsuko let out a wearied breath. "I swear, it's like Misato's body is doing everything it can to drive me crazy!"

Chihiro could do nothing but smile sympathetically. "There now. We'll take care of this," she stated easily. "After all…if we don't, we get that bonus we're earning!"

"A bonus?" Ritsuko snorted laughingly, smiling lopsidedly at her new understudy. "With NERV's budget? Are you kidding me?"

"Hey, I never said we'd actually get a bonus either way!" Chihiro shrugged impishly. "But we'll certainly have earned one, once we cure the Major. Won't we?"

Eyeing the woman Maya had chosen as her successor, Ritsuko couldn't help but smile broadly. "True," the doctor conceded. Neither woman aware that they weren't the only ones critically analyzing various forms of data.

* * *

"Whoa…" Misato went as she sat back in her couch, once again reviewing the battle against the 10th Angel on a holographic display. Once again watched the recordings made by Maya and the others from a relative safe distance.

"She just…keeps going. No matter what happens," Misato murmured, thoroughly awed by her bestial other. The utter savagery she displayed, the power she wielded. Seemingly indestructible as the Angel tried to defend itself from her. Its explosive orbs, even its destruction, the detonation of an N2 mine, and falling all the way down to the earth below unable to truly damage the She-Hulk, let alone slay her.

Shaking her head, Misato leaned back in her seat, only to look from the display to the frail human body she now wore. Barely able to believe that such awesome power now slept within her.

"An Angel. That thing…beat an Angel…with its bare hands," Misato muttered, raising up a fist and studying it, like she could find the answers to all of her problems just by looking at it closely enough. Fists completely unlike the ones that had sounded the 10th Angel's death…and yet were the same fists, nonetheless.

Ultimately, it was too much for Misato, who leaned back so that she could look at the ceiling. So many thoughts, so many possibilities had tumbled about in her mind without end. Along with questions she had no answers to.

"What now?" she asked herself, doing so more for the sake of hearing a voice more than anything else. Frowning, Misato once again looked at the battle, analyzing what she saw. The power that she held within, but lay in the control of another.

"I guess that depends on what happens next," Misato finally decided. Sighing in boredom mixed with loneliness, she finally shut down the display, banishing the monster from her sight. Knowing that a lot hinged on what Ritsuko learned from her studies of her cell samples. As well as her planned discussion with Commander Ikari.

"An Angel. She…_I _actually killed an Angel," Misato murmured, once again shaking her head in awe at the very thought. A reality she had no memory of, yet knew to be true. And as much as she might want to deny it, with this thought came two things.

The thrill in her blood, the knowledge that she, not one of the children, had taken actual, physical revenge on one of the monsters that had haunted her for fifteen years. And the realization that, if it could happen once, then there was the possibility that it could happen again. And again. And again.

And keep on happening…until all the Angels were dead.

* * *

"Are we certain of this information?" came a single voice. One voice that was heavy with age and cruelty echoed about the room that was filled with nothing but darkness in various forms. From the various shadows lurking in the many nooks and crannies to be found there, to a more concentrated brand of darkness, manifested in the form of twelve black monoliths that hovered in mid-air. The surfaces of the holographic specters marked in red by the word 'SEELE', as well as a number. The speaker's voice came from the monolith marked SEELE-11.

"Positive," came another voice, emanating from a different monolith, this one SEELE-02. "The data sent to us by Recon Satellite 4 is somewhat incomplete, due to the 10th Angel's ECM jamming, but we were able to recover several minutes of its video log pertaining to the battle."

While this voice was heard, the portions of video mentioned were being played in the center of the chamber. Images of a woman falling through the air, a massive green figure carrying some sort of machine on her back, who then forced her way through the Angel's AT-Field by means of pure, brute strength. Then there was a blast of static, and then there was a view of that same figure brutalizing the Angel, seemingly unfazed by its attempts to ward her off. Another blast of static was seen, only to be replaced by the view of the Angel's final annihilation, along with the detonation of the N2.

"The energy released by the destruction of the Angel and the detonation of the N2 blinded the satellite, so we don't have any hard data as to what happened next," SEELE-12 commented as the display disappeared. "However, we already know of the…unusual happenings going on in Tokyo-3, don't we?"

The eleven other cold-hearted men knew exactly what their fellow meant. "So, it would seem that the creature Ikari claims as mindless victim of an Angelic infection is actually under his control," SEELE-05 muttered. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Yes, and according to one of our people in NERV, Ikari has been devoting considerable resources to studying this creature," SEELE-09 muttered. "Obviously, he must have resurrected his Nephilim Creation Project!"

"But that makes no sense!" SEELE-04 protested. "If this…She-Hulk…is one of Ikari's creations, why would he let it run wild like this? Risk exposing himself in such a manner?"

There was silence for a time, before the voice of SEELE-01 was heard. "Ikari is clever, but not as a clever as he thinks he is," the voice intoned coldly. "It could be that he decided that the only way to deal with Spirit…was by creating a being more powerful than her, and loosing it upon her."

"Then he's a bigger fool than I thought!" SEELE-07 sneered. "If what our reports say is true, than this beast is completely mindless! And you saw what it did to that Angel! Imagine what a monster like that could do if set loose upon Tokyo-3!"

"Don't forget that most of the information we have regarding this beast was given us to by Ikari himself," SEELE-08 muttered gruffly. "And if you expect him to be honest with us, then you're a bigger fool than even he is!"

"Ikari may play his games, but he is not as foolish as you may think," came the calmer voice of SEELE-12. "If he were to create such a monster, than I'm certain he felt that he had a means to deal with it as well. And given the popularity that Spirit currently enjoys from the public at large, as well as great deal of NERV's personnel, none of us can move against her in an open fashion."

"However, striking at her in a way that could not be traced back to him is certainly in keeping with the way Ikari does things," SEELE-01 agreed.

"Very true," SEELE-12 verbally nodded. "Think about it. Spirit is killed in the defense of the city, fighting against a monster of some kind. Then the Evangelions are sent in, destroy the monster, and avenge the people's beloved hero. Thus Spirit is disposed of, and NERV gains greater favorability in the eyes of the public at large. A perfect ending for Ikari, wouldn't you say? And for the Committee, as well."

"Except that's not what happened," SEELE-04 pointed out. "Spirit escaped from the monster. And there's no indication that the Evas were ever mobilized in that confrontation."

Silence once again held sway over them. Silence that was broken by SEELE-01. "There is not enough information for us to reach any conclusion at this time. Aside from the obvious that Ikari is once again playing some sort of game."

"We should have executed Ikari a long time ago!" SEELE-07 complained. "To give such a man full access to one of the keys to the scenario! To allow him such close proximity to the one true Lance! Utter madness!"

"A necessary step, in order to further the scenario," SEELE-01 countered. "However, it does appear that Ikari's scheming has gone too far this time. We need to deal with this situation, and quickly."

"There is one possibility, if I may speak?" SEELE-12 once again spoke. "Over the past years, each of us has made many ploys in order to gain greater power, to achieve immortality, among other things. And while the scenario remains our only path at this point, that does not mean that certain…other pet projects have not borne fruit of their own. Given the appearance of Spirit, I took the liberty of resurrecting one such project of my own, as a means of dealing with her."

"Project? What project?" SEELE-05 demanded

"Just one of many little…experiments carried out by my scientific teams," SEELE-12 commented in an offhand manner. Just as another holographic display appeared in the center of the room. This one detailing a humanoid figure, a large one. "Gentlemen, allow me to present you with one of the most advanced creations of bio-engineering and cybernetic systems ever created. A virtually unstoppable engine of destruction my people affectionately refer to as…the Rhino."

Voices lowly muttered in awe as the other members of SEELE took in the sight of the behemoth displayed for their benefit. They scrutinized the technical specifications of its armored hide, the weapons and equipment that it had been fitted with, the strength and physical capabilities shown for their benefit, even as SEELE-12 continued. "This cybernetic man-beast has been equipped with titanium-steel armor, ion boosters, a complement of missiles, lasers, and other long-range and mid-range weapons. His strength has been genetically and cybernetically enhanced far beyond the human norm, and has been proven to be virtually indestructible in combat."

"I see," SEELE-06 muttered with a bit of humor. "And that horn, which is what I assume prompted such a name? Is it merely for decoration, or does it have some…practical application?"

"A very practical application. It is a progressive lance, the design of which is based on the data we have been able to glean from one of the shards of the broken Lance," SEELE-12 continued. "It is designed for the express purpose of penetrating an AT-Field…as well as any other substance known to man."

"Such as the flesh of a young girl," came a low, sinister chuckle from SEELE-02.

"Precisely," SEELE-12 responded.

It was then that the sardonic voice of SEELE-01 was heard. "Spirit is killed in the defense of the city, fighting against a monster of some kind. Then the Evangelions are sent in, destroy the monster, and avenge the people's beloved hero. Thus Spirit is disposed of, and NERV gains greater favorability in the eyes of the public at large. Those were your words, as I recall."

"My words exactly," SEELE-12 agreed. "I had considered sending it on a rampage through the city, starting with the schools. Even if we weren't fortunate enough to kill Spirit in the first attack, it would have certainly drawn her out. And having to avenge the loss of three or four innocent children as well could only help NERV's image, wouldn't you agree?"

No one replied at first. When SEELE-01 did speak, it was with a terseness that wasn't there before. "Can you be certain that this…Rhino…cannot be traced back to us?"

"If I weren't certain of such a thing, I would never have suggested it," SEELE-12 countered in a disdainful manner. "Rest assured, gentlemen, the Rhino is not only fully armed and armored, but also completely under our control. He can be mobilized with but a word, and destroyed just as easily, should it prove necessary."

"Then give the word. Have the Rhino sent to Tokyo-3, but do not send him alone. Have one of our operatives accompany him as well," SEELE-01 ordered. "Their mission will be to track down this She-Hulk, as well as any data regarding her. If your Rhino can successfully destroy her, then so be it. If he is incapable of living up to your expectations, then we will at least be able to retrieve some information, and get a better understanding of what Ikari is scheming this time."

"Of course. As it happens, I have just the man in mind for this operation," SEELE-12 returned. "One of our more…competent employees, as a matter of fact."

"Good. Just make sure that nothing can be traced back to us," SEELE-01 stated firmly.

"But surely Ikari will realize we're responsible!" SEELE-05 protested.

"True, but knowing it and being able to prove it to the public at large are two very different matters," SEELE-01 returned. As his words sank in, the head of SEELE drove his point home. "And if Ikari has once again cast himself in the role of god, we must head him off, and quickly. Remind him of whom his masters are."

"Agreed," came the voices of the other members of SEELE, at which point the meeting was ended.

* * *

Shinji thought his eyes were going to roll out of their sockets as he stared at the screen of his laptop. Which, given how tired he was of looking at it telling him things he didn't want to know, might have been preferable.

"Hey, Third! Where are you?" came the demanding voice of Asuka. Shinji didn't even turn around as he heard the door to his room open. "Oh, there you are!"

"Oh. Hi, Asuka," Shinji muttered quietly in response.

"Don't 'Hi, Asuka', me! I'm getting hungry here, and dinner isn't going to cook itself, you know!" Asuka grated as she marched in and came up to Shinji's side. Looking over his shoulder, she narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the images on the computer screen. "What is that you're working on, anyway?"

"This? It's one of the stories about what happened with Jet Alone," Shinji explained, gesturing at the headline. "They're talking about what went wrong, and…"

A growl of exasperation forming in her throat, Asuka threw up her arms in unspent frustration. "Don't tell me you're _still _wasting time on this _schisse!_" the redhead snarled. "Look, I've told you before! It was an _accident, _that's all! The idiots who made that dumb piece of junk just screwed up! What do you expect from a Japanese company, anyway! There's no stupid conspiracy here, so just forget about it already!"

"But Asuka…the whole company went bankrupt after what happened!" Shinji countered as he turned to face Asuka. He then gestured at the article on the screen. The headline read 'Jet Alone Sinks Japan Heavy Chemical Cooperative!', and explained how the company had invested so much of its resources of into the development of the robot. How its disastrous failure had turned its stockholders against the company, after which it had quickly gone out of business as a result.

"So? Why the big surprise? The idiots practically nuke an entire city, and you think they should get a medal of honor?" Asuka demanded.

"But…Asuka, if Jet Alone was so important to them…don't you think they would have…I don't know. Done something to make sure that something like this didn't happen?" Shinji wondered. Though the boy didn't have the best grasp of such matters, such a conclusion didn't seem too difficult. "Look, it says here that they spent months checking everything before the demonstration! So…don't you think they would have found a problem like that before they started it up?"

"Hey, they just screwed up! That's all there is to it!" Asuka decreed in her 'I'm right, everyone else is wrong' voice. "Besides, do you have any idea what would have happened if that stupid thing _had _worked right?"

Shinji blinked at this, unable to fathom the redhead's reasoning. "Uh…no."

"Then they might have tried to _replace _the Evas with more ugly monsters like it!" Asuka stated, shuddering at the absolute horror of such a scenario. "Honestly! Can you imagine what would happen if we had to rely on things like that? You might as well hand victory to the Angels on a silver platter!"

Letting out a weary sigh, Shinji returned his attention to the screen. _Why can't Asuka see it? That Misato was right about NERV? About…Father? _he wondered, not for the first time perplexed by Asuka's attitude. She always seemed to act like piloting Eva and working for NERV were the most wonderful things in the world, and was always surprised when something nasty happened or when it got in the way of her day-to-day life.

_Asuka probably was happy when Jet Alone failed, _Shinji decided wearily.

"Now, c'mon! Get up and get dinner started!" Asuka ordered impatiently. "And none of that stuff you normally cook! No rice or miso or any of that other crap!"

"Huh?" Shinji started, eyeing Asuka like he couldn't figure out what was going on with her.

"Hey, Misato's not here! So that means that I'm in charge around here from now on!" Asuka decreed, smiling officiously at Shinji. "Which means that you aren't going to be cooking anything but real, western-style meals! Got it?"

Groaning in dismay, Shinji knew that there was no point in arguing with Asuka. Such protests on his part invariably ended with him being decorated by several ugly bruises. "Alright. Just let me finish up here," he muttered, scrolling down to another article on the page.

Just as Shinji began reading, he was stunned to see his computer screen go black. Jerking back, he saw Asuka's finger planted firmly on the off button. "Looks like you're finished now," Asuka told him with a smirk of pure triumph. "So why don't you stop wasting time, and start working on my dinner?" Then she leaned in added, "And after you're done with that, I've got a couple homework assignments for you to take care of."

"What do you mean? I already did…" Shinji began, only for his mouth to fall open when he realized what Asuka was talking about. "Wait…you mean you want me to do _your _homework as well?"

"Why not? If you've got time enough to waste on these stupid theories of yours, then you've got plenty of time to do something that's actually important!" Asuka declared, placing her hands to her hips in an officious manner.

"But – but _you're _the one who's supposed to do it! _You're _the one who's been to college and knows all this stuff!" Shinji protested. "Why would you want me to do -?"

"It's because I _am _a college graduate that I shouldn't have to waste _my _time on _schisse _like that!" Asuka decreed, making a fist and placing it squarely beneath his chin. "So get going already, or else!"

His mouth popping open to give additional protest, Shinji eventually sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay," he groaned, setting aside the laptop before rising from his seat. "Just give me a few minutes."

"Fine!" Asuka grinned victoriously. "Just be sure not to screw up my homework! I want a grade worthy of me, after all!"

Shinji didn't bother justifying this comment with a response. Feeling like that only one enjoying this whole mess caused by She-Hulk's creation was Asuka, he thought of the woman who had done so much for him. And how of his father would be returning within a few days' time. _Misato…I'm not gonna give up. I'm not gonna run away._ _I don't know how, but…somehow, I'm going to prove what Father's done._

* * *

The next few days passed slowly, with people working both in and out of NERV, busying themselves with various endeavors of their own. Some worked to get themselves back together, some continued to think what life what had done to them, some plotted and schemed, and still others walked the path of discovery. All of them waiting for the man who held all the answers they wanted to return to Tokyo-3.

When that day finally arrived and Gendo Ikari was once again seen walking the corridors of NERV, Maya, Ritsuko, and Shinji were waiting in the research lab just outside of Misato's gilded cage. And as the Commander of NERV was faced with their expectant eyes, his own expression cool and composed. His face gave away nothing as he surveyed them.

"Commander Ikari! Sub Commander Fuyutsuki! Welcome back, sirs!" Maya spoke, standing straight as she snapped off a crisp salute. Wearing an air of perfect composure, any traces of her drunken binge completely gone. Falling in line with her, the rest of the NERV personnel present saluted the two of them as well.

"At ease, Captain Ibuki," Gendo returned easily as he and Fuyutsuki surveyed the people there. Approaching Maya, Gendo leveled a steady look at the brunette. "I had a chance to look over your report on the way here today."

"Yes, sir. And…?" Maya started, almost nervously.

"I must admit, I do have some concerns about the…unorthodox method you employed to deal with the 10th Angel," Gendo admitted. "However, all things considered, I cannot fault your judgment, nor your handling of your new responsibilities here."

"Thank you, sir," Maya stated in a subdued fashion.

"While I still reserve some concerns about this situation, I must say that I am pleased with your performance to date. It would seem the Dr. Akagi and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki were correct in recommending you for this post," Gendo went on. "Given all these things, I see no reason for you not to continue on as Operations Director. Well done, Captain Ibuki."

"Uh…thank you, sir," Maya got out, doing everything she could to keep her expression neutral. When Gendo finally looked away from her, she just about sagged like a lump of jelly.

_Why couldn't he have said that I was doing a terrible job and that he'd find someone else to do it? _Maya asked herself, missing her comfortable post as a technician all that much more. _What, is this some kind of punishment for helping kill the Angels? Is that it?_

While Maya was seriously considering gross insubordination as a viable alternative to all that paperwork she had been facing lately, Gendo was turning his attention to Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi, I trust that you've made some progress in regards to your current assignment."

Nodding, Ritsuko answered. "Yes, I have. Not a great deal, but we have made some headway in regards to treating Misato's condition."

"Very good," Gendo returned. "I'll expect a full report later."

"It'll be on your desk by the end of the day, sir," Ritsuko responded, to which Gendo gave a curt nod.

"Given the Major's role in defeating the Angel, I'd like to take a moment to thank her in person. That is, if she's presently…available," Gendo stated, darting a glance towards Misato's current dwellings.

"Yes, sir. Shinji and I checked in on her just a few minutes ago," Ritsuko explained, nodding towards the boy. While Gendo took a moment to glance in his direction, the doctor cleared her throat, regaining the Commander's attention. "The truth is…she's been looking forward to talking with you as well, sir."

"I see," Gendo responded thoughtfully. "Very well, then. Lead the way."

"Wait," came an unexpected voice. When people looked for the source, they saw Shinji stepping forward, looking intently at the two of them. "I'd…like to come in as well."

Gazing at his son for a short time, Gendo finally nodded. "Very well, then," he finally agreed before looking at Ritsuko. The doctor heeded his silent order to resume, at which point she started towards the enclosed apartment with both Ikaris close behind.

Pressing a button on the heavy door, Ritsuko listened to the buzz that signaled for Misato's attention. She then waited for the intercom to hiss to life. "Yes?" Misato's voice came, the intercom adding an artificial buzz to her words.

"Misato?" Ritsuko spoke. "Listen, Commander Ikari and Shinji are here to see you."

"Oh!" Misato responded, surprise etched in her voice. A few seconds passed before she was able to regain herself. "Well, okay. Come on in, then."

"Right," Ritsuko spoke. The doctor then slid her NERV ID card into the reader, causing the heavy locks to open and the door to creek open.

When the three of them were finally able to enter, they were greeted by the sight of Misato fully dressed in a blue medical gown, her posture tense as she looked at her visitors. "Commander Ikari, sir," the Major greeted him, saluting him a bit shakily. "Shinji, Rits."

"Major," Gendo greeted even as Shinji went up to the woman.

"Well, I see you've managed to keep things fairly tidy around here," Ritsuko noted, surveying the interior and finding no signs of the mess that she had been used to seeing around Misato's apartment. "Did we make a special effort for the Commander?"

Rolling her eyes at this jab, Misato retorted, "It's not like I don't have the time to spare." Then she gave them a lopsided grin. "Besides, I figured it might be a good idea if there wasn't a lot of junk for me to trip over lying on the floor. I'm getting sick of the smell of sleeping gas as it is!"

"Now, now, Misato," Ritsuko replied. "It's only happened three times…"

"And that's three times too many, as far as I'm concerned!" Misato snorted, her arms folded across her chest. Then she focused her attention on Gendo. "Anyway, welcome back, Commander Ikari, sir."

"Thank you, Major," Gendo returned. "I don't have a great deal of time, so I will be brief. I wish to congratulate you on your efforts in this most recent battle against that Angels. If it were at all possible, I would gladly have you commemorated for your heroism."

"Uh, thank you, sir," Misato responded slowly.

"I also understand that Dr. Akagi has made some progress in researching your condition," Gendo continued, to which Misato nodded.

"I know. Ritsuko told me that she had some…things she wanted to check out about that," Misato answered carefully.

These words causing Gendo to look at the doctor, Ritsuko sucked in a quick breath. "That's correct. I'm presently running some simulations on some of the tissue samples. They will require a few more days to be completed," she explained. When Gendo continued to look at her, she flinched somewhat. "As I said before…it will be on your desk later today."

"I see," Gendo responded with a slow nod. He then returned his attention to Misato. "In any case, let me reassure you that we will continue to make effort to treat your condition, and as quickly as possible."

"Thank you, sir," Misato spoke, seemingly caught between various conflicting emotions. Frowning slightly, she took several moments to order her thoughts. "Sir, before you go, there is something I've been wanting to discuss with you."

"I see. And that is?" Gendo asked.

"It's about Spirit, sir," Misato elaborated, her eyes narrowing somewhat. "In regards to what happened when I…when She-Hulk fought her."

Gendo didn't say anything to this at first. He simply stood there, eyeing the purple-haired woman, as if measuring the value of her words. "I see," he finally spoke. "In that case, I suggest we all sit down. This will…take a few minutes to explain."

"Alright," Misato finally returned, glaring hard at Gendo. She then gestured to the furniture available. "Please, help yourselves."

Nodding, Gendo went to one of the chairs, while Ritsuko sat in another. Almost subconsciously, Misato and Shinji gravitated to the sofa, sitting next to each other as they waited for Gendo to speak.

Sitting back in his chair, Gendo folded his hands on his lap as he looked at her. Fully aware that the wrong choice of words could result in him becoming a very messy stain on a large set of green knuckles. "I…am aware that Dr. Akagi and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki explained my…decisions regarding Spirit. And how to handle her…intrusion in that situation."

"They told me," Misato agreed, furrows forming in her brow. Knowing that the people opposite her were looking for any sign of green in her eyes. "But what they didn't tell me is why! Why are you and the Committee so determined to kill her? What is going on here?"

"That's a reasonable question," Gendo admitted. Then he took a slow breath before answering. "As you are fully aware, Spirit's intervention in NERV's operations has caused a great deal of difficulty for us. Our funding has been cut by the UN, and the Instrumentality Committee has expressed their displeasure with this vigilante. The fact is, I have been under considerable pressure to deal with Spirit, in one way or another."

"But why? Why is everyone so obsessed with Spirit, anyway?" Misato demanded.

"Yeah. I mean…all she's ever done is try to help us," Shinji seconded. "Why are you so against her?"

"I'm not. Not personally, that is," Gendo explained cordially. When the two of them responded by shooting disbelieving glares, the elder Ikari lowered his gaze somewhat. "I realize that, at present, this girl's intentions are good. But you have to realize just how unstable an element she may be in this war."

"What do you mean, unstable?" Misato growled, causing Gendo and Ritsuko to slide back in their chairs. Upon realizing that her temper was growing shorter, the Major took a few deep breaths. When she felt her anger become more manageable, she continued. "Look, I've heard people talking about how bad it makes NERV look to have a girl do our fighting for us, that we have a reputation to uphold, that someone like Spirit makes all the money spent on the Evas look like a waste. But that doesn't change the fact that you _used _me to try and kill her! And I want to know _why! _No political BS, no games, none of that! I want the truth!"

Silence filling the void left by Misato's declaration, Gendo looked at the Major, only to nod. "Fair enough. You deserve that much," he answered, to which Misato sat back. "As you are…undoubtedly aware, Spirit's genesis is the result of an accidental dumping of an experimental sedative, created by Dr. Akagi. This sedative was designed expressly to help restrain the Evas, should they become uncontrollable. Something we all know can happen, as we are aware of the consequences of such an event." When his audience nodded, Gendo leaned forward and drilled them with his formidable gaze. "However, what you may not know is that there is an…inherent instability to the sedative she created."

"An instability?" Shinji wondered, his eyes widening.

"Yes. This was unavoidable, given the presence of Angelic DNA within the mixture," Gendo continued. "However, according to our analysis, there is a very real danger of this instability worsening in the case of a human/Angel hybrid, such as Spirit."

"Worsening?" Misato asked, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Only to have them widen again. "Wait. You mean that…she might lose control of her powers? She might become…like me?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Gendo spoke. "You are both aware of what happened when you transformed the first time, of the destruction She-Hulk caused. Imagine what would happen if that were to happen with Spirit as well. A free-mobile entity, capable of flight and long-ranged attacks comparable to those used by the Angels." He paused momentarily, giving them a chance to imagine such a situation before concluding, "I don't think I need to tell you of the consequences of such a happening."

Her expression shifting from surprise to horror, and finally suspicion, Misato angled her head at the Commander. "But…sir, if that's really the case, why are you dealing with Spirit this way? If there's really a chance of that happening, why not announce it on the news? Warn her of what might happen, encourage her to come in for treatment! Something!"

"I had considered that, Major, believe me," Gendo returned, sighing wearily. "However, given the evidence of her activities, she had been aware of her condition for some time. Even before the 3rd Angel's attack. And if she hadn't deemed fit to alert people to her…situation, I decided that it was unlikely that she would betray her secret willingly. Or that she might see such a warning as trick to bring her guard down." Noting the suspicious looks given him by his son and the Major, Gendo once again lowered his gaze. "Also, we cannot discount the possibility that her mutation may have already destabilized her mind. And such a warning might only provoke the very rampage we want to avoid."

Shinji couldn't help but frown at this. "But…when I met Spirit, she didn't seem dangerous to me. She was just…trying to help us!"

"That may be, but we cannot be certain that she remain stable. Especially given what Dr. Akagi discovered," Gendo told them, glancing over at the doctor.

As two sets of curious eyes swung towards her, Ritsuko gripped the hem of her skirt. "We did an analysis of the cellular structure of the wings we retrieved after the battle," she explained carefully. "And while it would appear that her physiology is currently stable, the MAGI indicate that there is a 73.8% chance that it may destabilize in the future."

"However, the only way to make a positive evaluation of the potential risk is to bring Spirit in for a full medical evaluation. Something that has proven to be impossible to this date," Gendo explained tersely. "Given this, the Instrumentality Committee has authorized me to use whatever means are available to insure either Spirit's capture…or her elimination."

"So you decided that it was perfectly acceptable to make me a murderer?" Misato growled, a tiny spark of green appearing her brown eyes.

"Yeah! Spirit's a hero, like Misato!" Shinji protested. "You can't just…well…"

Gendo did not respond to either of them at first. He just sat in his chair, looking at his hands. "Major…I cannot expect you to accept what I've done," he finally answered. "I understand how you must feel, given the situation. All I can tell you is that I have my own obligations to live up to, and duties that I must carry out in the way I see fit. I make no apologies for doing so…but I do not expect to be forgiven for my decisions, either."

When it became clear that Gendo has said all that he felt needed to be said, Misato lowered her gaze. "Very well, sir," she got out, barely able to keep from choking on her words.

Nodding, Gendo stood up from his seat. "Very well, then. If there is nothing else…"

"There is…one other thing, sir," Misato started, catching everyone by surprise. When Gendo looked at her, the purple-haired woman stood, and looked him dead in the eye. "Could you…show me your hands, sir?"

"My hands?" Gendo started, his expression revealing his surprise. Then, with a quick look at Ritsuko, as if to confirm that he had heard correctly, he brought up his gloved hands, and showed them to the Major.

"Your gloves, sir," Misato continued, her voice hard and firm. "Please take them off."

Once again surprised, Gendo considered his hands before doing as asked. First taking off his left glove, then his right. When he was done, he displayed the bare skin of his hands for the Major's consideration, flipping them one way, then the next. "Are you satisfied now?"

Taking one more moment to examine his hands, Misato finally nodded. "My…apologies, sir," she spoke insincerely. "That will be all."

"Very well then," Gendo spoke before turning away. "Come, Dr. Akagi. We have much to do today."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko acknowledged as she stood as well. "Take care, you two."

"Right," Misato responded, her eyes falling to the floor as the two of them departed.

* * *

_I don't understand!_ Misato thought, quickly reviewing the meeting and everything else in her mind. Recalling the dangerous sensations she had felt before, both the one that had led her to the 10th Angel…and the one that had shaken her to her soul, just before she had shaken Gendo's hand in his office. One that had been surprisingly absent when Gendo had arrived there that day.

_I thought for sure that there might have been…I don't know. Something strange on his hand, but…_ Misato frowned, thinking of the bare flesh of Gendo's hands. With the only thing standing out about them being the burn scars he had received as a result of pulling open Rei's Entry Plug after the disastrous activation test with Unit 00. _Could there have been something on his hand before, and then…but that doesn't make sense either! Why would…what could…?_

"Misato?" Shinji's voice piped up, cutting into the woman's thoughts. As she looked at her ward, she saw him looking at her in concern. "Is something wrong? Why did you ask Father to show you his hands?"

"I…oh, I don't know," Misato grumbled, shrugging helplessly. "It's just…a couple days before I…I changed for the first time? The last thing I remember before I passed out in Gendo's office…was me shaking his hand. So…"

"So…you thought there might be something on Father's hand?" Shinji continued.

"Maybe. I…I guess it must seem crazy, but…" Misato faltered, her expression rife with perplexity. "I guess everything that happened that day must have fried my memory or something!" Heaving a deep breath, Misato turned to look at Shinji. "So…when do you have to go today?"

Shinji seemed to consider this question for a few moments. "Well…there's some stuff I wanted to check out, and Asuka…she was pretty insistent I get back home before seven, so I can start on dinner," the boy spoke. "I guess I can stay for another hour or so."

A wan smile ghosting across her face, Misato nodded. "Good. I'm glad," she murmured, gazing fondly at the boy who meant so much to her. "I mean…well, I'm just…"

Shinji signaled his understanding with a nod, just before he gave Misato a more questioning look. "Um, Misato. I was just wondering…why are you wearing a medical gown? I thought you had plenty of sweat shirts and jumpsuits…things like that…"

"Oh, that?" Misato asked, taking hold of the simple fabric that hung about her slender body like a tent. Just before she smiled her familiar, impish smile. "Well, considering what I wanted to talk about with the Commander, I decided that there was at least a decent chance of me getting pissed off. And I'd rather wreck this thing than any of the other stuff Rits got me!"

"Oh. I see," Shinji replied with an easier smile. "That makes sense."

"Although…if I _really _wanted to play it safe, I guess I wouldn't be wearing anything at all, now would I?" Misato wondered in an absent-minded fashion. Her smile deepening as Shinji's face beamed bright red. "And it certainly wouldn't hurt to give you a little extra…incentive to drop by more frequently."

"What?" Shinji yelped, almost stumbling as his nose prepared its usual response to his hormones.

"What's wrong, Shinji-kun?" Misato asked, going up to the boy. She then knelt down and looked him in the eye, taking on a pouty expression even as she wrapped her arms about her chest. "Aw, don't tell me you're not impressed with these anymore! You mean you actually _prefer _Greenie's oversized jugs?"

"Uh, no! That's not it!" Shinji fumbled, unsure of exactly what to say. "I mean…well, that is…!"

Laughing as her teases struck home, Misato leaned forward and wrapped her arms about Shinji's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Shinji," she murmured, her breath tickling his ears. "It's just…being without you…I don't know what to do…when you're not around, that's all."

"Misato…" Shinji got out, looking at the woman who spent so much of her days alone now. And found himself powerless to resist the urge to return her embrace.

Succumbing to the warmth of their mutual embrace, the two of them stayed together for some time, neither knowing nor caring how long they remained that way. It was only when Misato finally pulled back and looked Shinji in the eyes, her eyes moist and filled with emotion, that they finally separated. "C'mon. Let's think of something fun to do, okay?"

"Okay," Shinji murmured in response. Reluctantly pulling away from Misato, he made his way over to the entertainment system.

As Misato stood there watching him, her thoughts rolled back to some of the things he had said before. _A hero? Shinji thinks…I'm a hero? _she thought, considering the boy. _But…it was She-Hulk that stopped the Angel, not me. It was because of her that we stopped the Angel. Even if she almost blew it!_

Frowning as she thought about what happened, how She-Hulk had taken what had been a nearly impossible situation and turned it into a victory for them, Misato was once again driven from her thoughts by Shinji's voice. "Say, Misato?" he called out. When the Major looked at him, she saw Shinji holding up a newspaper. "Where did you get this from?"

"Huh? Oh, Makoto dropped it off for me," Misato explained. "Sometimes, when you're busy with school and everything, I have him drop off the paper and few other things like that. Why?"

"Well…would you mind if I looked at it?" Shinji asked.

"Of course not! Go right ahead!" Misato replied, even as she looked at Shinji's expression, and found herself surprised by it. By the spark of determination that now glinted in his eyes.

* * *

Later that day, Shinji was walking along the streets of Tokyo-3, looking at the newspaper he had gotten from Misato. More to the point, he was looking at a specific article that hung near the bottom of the page.

It was story about a large crash down in the slums of Tokyo-3. 'Road Party Ends in Death', was the headline for the article, and it relayed how a gang of teenage thugs had gotten themselves high on both drugs and alcohol, basically throwing a party in the back of a flatbed truck. Unsurprisingly, the mixture of drugs, booze, and driving had ended in disaster, with the truck crashing through a building before flipping over several times, killing everyone on it in the process.

At just about any other time, Shinji would have looked at the article, frowned somewhat at the blatant stupidity evidenced by such morons, maybe even give weary thought as to how if they were dumb enough to do something just so stupid, then they probably deserved what they got. But not this time. Mainly because it wasn't the article itself that held his interest. It was the picture that lay next to it. Showing a crumpled truck lying on its side.

_Why didn't Misato notice? _Shinji wondered as he studied the photograph, his eyes narrowed as he superimposed the sundered vehicle on his own memories of what might have been one of the worst days of his entire life. Memories that included a gang of thugs that had prompted She-Hulk's horrific second rampage, causing her to blast their truck with an Impact Roar. Rendering it the brutalized wreck that Shinji now saw in the newspaper.

Frowning at the thought, Shinji then remembered that Misato had little to no memories of what happened when she was in her She-Hulk state. Given everything that had happened that day, he decided that he couldn't be surprised that she might not have even noticed the significance of this article.

_Kaji said that NERV was only going to hold those creeps until they could be sure that they wouldn't tell anybody what happened, _Shinji thought bitterly. _I guess they won't be telling anyone about Misato now!_

Shaking his head in frustration, Shinji continued on through the streets, feeling lost and confused as he did. He knew that his father had deliberately used Misato for his own ends, that he had plans for his guardian that Shinji was certain he wouldn't like. And that meant that Ritsuko was possibly involved with them. As the Head Scientist of NERV, the faux-blonde would be necessary to whatever his father had in mind.

_Misato did say that Akagi-san was there, at the Jet Alone demonstration, _Shinji reminded himself, his frown deepening. _And if Kaji knew about it, then…what do I do? Is _everyone _at NERV in on this?_

Feeling as if the weight of the world had just fallen upon his young shoulders, Shinji lowered his gaze to the streets, feeling more lost and alone then he had ever felt before. The one person who had ever fought for him, held him, felt that he was worthy of a home and her caring was a prisoner of the same organization they both worked for. And he had absolutely no idea of what he could do to help her.

Making matters worse for him was the fact that, while Shinji was indeed lost…he was far from alone.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" came a brusque voice. Lifting his eyes from the streets, Shinji gaped at the sight of bunch of kids who were about his age. The 3rd Child didn't recognize any of them, however. None of them went to his school, and they were all dressed in ragged street clothes. They looked like junior versions of the punks he had just been reading about. And the worst thing was, he didn't have giant green Amazon around this time to protect him.

"Looks like somebody lost his way home, doesn't it?" asked the lead punk, a greasy creep with dark complexion whose hair looked like it was made of pure mousse.

"Uh…" Shinji started, not liking the looks of this. This batch of creeps looked like trouble, and trouble was definitely the last thing Shinji wanted. Slowly backing away, he looked left and right as the band of hooligans started towards him. "I'll just be going now."

"Not before you pay the toll," the lead jerk stated, his fellow jerks chuckling in agreement.

"Toll?" Shinji repeated.

"Yeah. You see, this is our turf. And nobody gets by here…without paying the toll," the lead creep explained nastily. "So, either hand over your wallet…or we'll just take your _hand!_"

His eyes widening at this statement, and growing even wider as the punk drew forth a knife for emphasis, Shinji decided that telling himself not to run away was perhaps not the best advice he could give himself. And seeing as how his NERV ID hadn't worked on the last group of thugs he had confronted, he felt that relying on his legs would be a lot smarter than wasting time on any other strategy.

Turning on his heel and bolting, Shinji heard the lead creep snarling, "Get him!" This command was followed by the pounding of feet, something that served only to spur Shinji on even faster.

_Where's Section 2 when you need them, anyway? _Shinji thought, looking for any sign of NERV's secret police even as his feet pounded against the concrete. However, if any of the people Misato referred to as the most useless morons on the face of the planet were in the area, they were remaining out of sight.

Taking a moment to think evil thoughts about NERV in general and Section 2 in particular, Shinji looked over his shoulder. Bad move. All he saw was the same punks, still hot on his heels and getting closer.

Continuing to run as fast as he could, Shinji looked for possible avenues of escape, potential hiding places. Only to see nothing of use. The streets of Tokyo-3 were relatively empty, as was usual, given the number of people moving away. Even worse was that the neighborhood Shinji had wandered into was not one of the better ones. The alleys were dank and dirty, and looked only promising if what someone was looking for was trouble.

Shinji didn't want more trouble. He wanted to be rid of the trouble he already had. So he kept on running. He ran until his heart sounded like a drum in his chest, until his muscles ached and his lungs burned.

Until Shinji had the bad luck of trying to jump over a curb, only for his foot to not quite clear it. Falling to the concrete face first, the boy had the wind knocked out of him, and was unable to move. Even with the sound of feet pounding up to him.

Gasping as he felt hands wrap around him, Shinji was suddenly turned on his back, just in time for a fist to smash into his face. Blood already flowing, the boy was helpless to stop the bullies from kicking him in the sides, from dragging him up by his shirt, only to punch him again.

"Should've just given us your money, wimp!" the lead creep grinned as he dragged Shinji up to look him in the face. Holding up his knife so that glinted in the 3rd Child's face. "Now you're gonna lose your money _and _a lot more, too!"

At that moment, as Shinji looked at his tormentors, saw the pleasure they drew from making a victim out of him, his mind stepped back, and he saw the battle play out a different way. From the outside of his own body, he saw his eyes flare bright green. He saw huge muscles filling his body, his frame expanding past the limits of his clothes. And he saw a monster standing up to roar at the punks…just before it returned their abuse tenfold.

Just as Shinji was getting lost in this vision, a familiar voice cut through it. "Hey! Get away from him!"

Gasping as the pain of his injuries hit him full force, Shinji looked in amazement as his assailants looked up, only to have their leader smashed in the face by a punch right in the jaw. Watching as the leader of the punks went flying away, Shinji watched as a set of hands wrenched another of the hoods away from him.

Trying to reorient himself, Shinji searched for the source of his sudden rescue, only to gape in surprise. "Toji!" he gaped as he watched his friend and fellow Stooge whip the goon he had grabbed into a streetlight.

"Well, if isn't Mototani and his goon platoon!" Toji grunted as he raised his fists at the various jerks, including their recovering leader. "And when did you all come crawling out of hiding?"

"Suzuhara!" Mototani spat out, his own blood mixing with Toji's name. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I think the real question is, what are you snakes doing, beating up on a friend of mine?" Toji demanded, staring hard at the creeps. While the thugs were flinching at the dark-skinned youth, Toji cracked his knuckles suggestively. "If you know what's good for you, you better find some rat hole to crawl into!"

"Heh! You always were good at talking tough, Suzuhara! But you never could back it up!" Mototani sneered, holding up his knife as he took a battle-ready stance.

"And you never learned how to fight without having to scare little kids with that butter knife of yours!" Toji shot back, grinning in anticipation of battle.

"Why, you…!" Mototani snarled, rushing towards Toji, flashing his knife at him. The jock easily dodged the attack, letting his over-moussed adversary to strike empty air. Taking advantage of the opening, Toji fired a blow into Mototani's head, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Looks like somebody's bark is still badder than his bite!" Toji noted with a grin.

Snarling, Mototani recovered his feet, and waved his knife at Toji's face like a snake baring its fangs. "And it looks like you never learned to keep that damn mouth shut!" he sneered, approaching with greater caution.

As Shinji watched, helpless with the remaining goons surrounding him, Mototani struck with his knife, slicing at Toji and forcing him back a step at a time. "Not so tough now, are you?" the lead goon smirked. "Betcha wish you hadn't butted in now, huh?"

Toji didn't say anything. He just kept dodging the deadly blade, searching for an opening. Never once losing his outraged expression.

While Shinji watched as his friend fought on his behalf, he noticed one of his other tormentors getting to his feet. Realizing that Toji was in danger of being double-teamed, Shinji threw himself as best as he could at the other boy's legs. The thug let out a cry of surprise as he fell, smashing his head against the concrete before falling limp.

"You stay out of this!" one of the other punks growled, jumping down on Shinji and smashing his face with another devastating blow.

"Hey, Shin-man!" Toji cried out, looking over towards his friend. Taking his eyes off of his own adversary.

"Gotcha!" Mototani grinned, His demented glee causing Toji to once again look at his, the gang leader drove his knife straight towards Toji's eye.

Letting out a gasp of horror, Shinji was certain that Toji was finished, while he was doomed to be able to do nothing but watch his friend die. Only to gasp in relief as Toji dodged the fatal blow by the tiniest of margins. Mototani's strike succeeded in nothing but cutting a bloody streak in Toji's hair.

Fully committed to his attack, Mototani practically fell into Toji's arms. Which quickly proved to be the bully's undoing. Grabbing his enemy by the mass of gel that was his hair, Toji dragged him up to his face. "Shit! That hurt, you freak!" Toji snarled, just before he drew back his fist and delivered a crushing blow to Mototani's nose. The sound of cartilage breaking filling everybody's ears, the jock never allowed his grip on his enemy's gelatinous do to falter, and brought him up close so that he could punch him again, then again. With one final blow tearing Mototani free of Toji's grip, at which point he collapsed to the street.

With their leader unmoving and bleeding profusely, Mototani's underlings could only look at Toji, then to their leader, and back again. At which point Toji shot them a deadly glare, and once again raised his fists. "Hey! You guys want some of this, too?"

Mototani's thugs quickly decided that, no, they weren't in the mood for knuckle sandwiches. They liked dishing abuse out just fine, but when it came to taking it, they would rather find prey that wouldn't hit them back. So they leapt off of Shinji and ran away to look for greener pastures to harass.

Stunned by the realization that he had been saved, Shinji watched as his tormentors fled before Toji's wrathful gaze. Leaving them both bruised, battered, but in one piece.

Looking up to see his friend letting out a weary breath, Shinji then watched as Toji walked up this side. "That was a close one, hey, Shin-man?" the jock asked, even as he extended his hand for Shinji to take. When he did so, Toji easily pulled his friend back to his feet. "Good thing I happened to see those creeps take off after you!"

"Uh, yeah," Shinji answered, his heart still pounding, his mind filled with conflicting emotions. Staring at his friend, the 3rd Child then frowned his confusion. "Say…what are you doing here, anyway?"

"Me? I was on my way to pick up a few things at the store," Toji replied, folding his arms across his chest. "By the way, thanks for nailing that creep back there! Mototani and his creeps are pretty easy one at time. Just one of the reasons they never fight fair!"

"Huh?" Shinji started, completely baffled by Toji's statement. "But…you're the one who saved me, remember?"

"Well, I guess we can just call it even then, huh?" Toji returned, patting Shinji on the shoulder. Only to start when the boy winced at the gesture. "Say, are you alright? You didn't get hurt too bad back there, did you?"

"Uh, no. I'll be alright," Shinji answered, looking almost ashamed. His helplessness almost palpable as he looked at his athletic friend.

_I can't do anything by myself, _Shinji thought miserably. _I couldn't stop those creeps…any more than I've been able to help Misato…_

"Anyway, some of those goons might still be hanging around," Toji stated in an offhand fashion. "Tell you what; why don't I walk you back to your place? Just in case."

"What?" Shinji started, looking at his friend. Then, with a weary smile, he nodded. "Well, okay…if you're sure you don't mind…"

"Of course I don't mind! What are friends for, anyway?" Toji wondered casually. "Now, come on. We better get you patched up. You took a pretty big beating back there."

"Okay," Shinji nodded, and with a body that was already stiffening up from the amount of abuse sustained, he led the way back home.

When the two boys finally arrived at Misato's apartment building and rode the elevator up to his floor, Shinji couldn't help but cast a grateful glance at his friend. Though Toji and Kensuke tended to be too loud at times, and sometimes exasperated Shinji with their overactive hormones, he had been a good friend to him. There were times that Shinji still couldn't believe that the day they had first met, Toji had been doling out a beating to him, just like those thugs had.

_Still, I guess I can't be mad at him for what happened, _Shinji admitted ruefully. _Besides, he's helped me out since then. He… _It was then that the 3rd Child's mind seized upon his own thoughts like a bird of prey. _That's right. Toji…he saved me back there. He…helped me out…when he didn't have to. He…_

Not even giving himself a chance to complete his own thoughts, Shinji stopped and turned to his friend. "Toji…"

"Yeah, what is it?" Toji started, raising his eyebrow at Shinji.

"I…" Shinji started, trying to find the right words to express what he had to say. Taking a deep breath before looking his friend in the eyes, he drew up all his courage. "Toji…you're my friend, right?"

Now both of Toji's eyebrows shot straight up. "What, you mean you actually have to ask something like that? After I almost got knifed by Mototani?"

"I know. I mean…it's just…" Shinji fumbled, some of his uncertainty returning to him. Then he remembered Misato, imprisoned in the depths of NERV. Trapped with a raging monster inside of her, waiting for a cure that might not even be in the works. With no one interested in learning the truth, in truly helping her…except for Shinji himself.

This image adding further fire to his ire and courage, Shinji tried again. "Toji, I…I need your help with something."

"Like what?" Toji wondered, growing more concerned. "C'mon, man! What is it? Tell me!"

"It's…it's real serious, and…" Shinji spoke, looking about. Searching for any sign of NERV's eyes and ears, the dull-witted thugs known as Section 2. Frowning somewhat, he decided to try a different tact. "Could you ask Kensuke to meet with us somewhere tomorrow? Somewhere private?"

"Huh?" Toji started, taken aback by Shinji's unusual request. He then rolled his head to the side, studying his friend's expression, and saw the seriousness with which he spoke. "Well, sure. We can go to my apartment. My dad's gonna be busy at work for the next few days, so we'll have the place all to ourselves."

"Great!" Shinji got out, relieved as one part of his task neared completion. Then he thought of something else, another element he might need for this. "I'll…ask Hikari to come as well."

"What? The class rep?" Toji demanded, his tone colored with disbelief. "Why her?"

"I…" Shinji stalled, his brain locking up. The real reason for his desiring Hikari's presence one that he felt he couldn't explain just then. Especially since he had no proof, and no right to speak it. Then he realized that Toji was still looking at him, waiting for an answer. At which point, Shinji decided to fake it. "Well…let's just say that…we're gonna need all the help we can get."

"Shinji, what is this?" Toji demanded, taking hold of his shoulder. "Are you in some kind of trouble? Is that it?"

"Uh, no. Not exactly. I…" Shinji fumbled. Frowning slightly, he looked Toji square in the eyes, the intensity of his gaze causing the taller boy to step back. "Just…please, have Kensuke over at your place tomorrow, okay?"

"But -!" Toji tried again.

"I promise, I'll explain everything then!" Shinji vowed, hoping that his courage would last long enough. "Toji…please…"

Upon seeing the desperation in his friend's face, Toji let out a sigh of resignation before lowering his eyes to the ground. "Alright, Shin-man. Tomorrow," Toji finally got out. Then he gave Shinji a warning glare. "But I'm telling you, this better be good!"

"It isn't. I mean, it is, but…" Shinji fumbled helplessly. Then, letting out a confused breath, he smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Toji. Really."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Toji returned, looking away in the traditional macho fashion. Then he shifted his eyes back towards Shinji. "Anyway, you better get yourself patched up, or you won't even be able to move tomorrow, let alone get to my place!"

"Oh, I'm okay," Shinji smiled sheepishly. "I usually get worse from Asuka, anyway."

Toji couldn't help but grin at this. "Now _that _I can believe!"

As if these words were a cue for Murphy's Law to kick in, the door to Misato's apartment slammed open, revealing an irate redhead with flames pouring from her eyes. "Hey! What're you doing, wasting time with that creep? You were supposed to be back an hour ago!"

"Well, looks like that's my cue!" Toji declared, quickly running away. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled for Shinji's benefit. "Sorry, Shin-man, but when it comes to the Devil, you're on your own!"

"Who are you calling a Devil, you stupid Stooge?" Asuka shrieked, already in hot pursuit of Toji.

* * *

"So, I take it everything went as planned?" Gendo asked, the Commander of NERV seated in a dark chamber within the depths of Terminal Dogma. Surrounding him were various tubes and chambers filled with a brilliant, almost glowing fluid.

"Perfectly, sir," Ritsuko answered, her own voice subdued in the face of her superior and sometimes lover. "Misato didn't suspect anything, nor did anyone else."

"Excellent," Gendo decided, holding his right hand with his left. "You may leave now, Dr. Akagi."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko replied. She started away, only to stop in mid-step and look back at the Commander. "Sir…there is one more thing."

"Oh?" Gendo replied, swiveling his chair around to look at her. "And what would that be?"

"This is all…very experimental," Ritsuko spoke, gesturing at the equipment that now hummed about her. "This equipment, even this facility…none of it has ever been used before! And we still don't know enough about the mutation to be able to predict how it will interact with cells cloned from Lilith! There are just too many variables to consider, and…!"

"That is one of the reasons I will be spending a great deal of time here, Dr. Akagi," Gendo responded, turning his attention towards a rack filled with vials of a red fluid. "The key to power has been placed in my hands, and now I will learn how to turn it. To master the forbidden fusion of Adam and Lilith."

"But, sir! What you are proposing would be dangerous, even under the best of circumstances!" Ritsuko protested. "To work here alone…and even with everything currently in place…!"

"Your concerns are duly noted, Dr. Akagi," Gendo cut in, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. "However, I will still have access to the MAGI, as well as your own research. And for the time being…this is something I must do alone."

Still not satisfied, Ritsuko once again opened her mouth, only to stop when she realized that nothing she said would make any difference. Her lips closing tightly, she lowered her gaze to the floor. "Yes, sir," she finally got out. Turning about with an air of disgust, and leaving Gendo behind.

Hearing a door hiss shut, Gendo smiled at the chamber before him. A chamber in which many young girls were seen floating within, their eyes vacuous as they examined the man studying him, each of them laughing emptily. Even as one of them hung before him, isolated from all the others.

"Now, to begin," Gendo whispered as he pressed a button. A moment later, the machinery began pumping two entirely different samples of blood into the chamber. There they began running up a set of tubes that terminated in bands about the girl's wrists, where they would be free to mingle with her bloodstream. "Thank you, Major Katsuragi, for your contributions to my scenario," he spoke as the two potent DNA cocktails infused the girl with their power. "Your efforts will not be forgotten."

Gendo's smile only deepened as the two different genetic codes interacted with the girl's own. At once, she stopped laughing, her eyes widening with shock. Then her body began to convulse, green flowing through her body…even as she began to scream in pain. All the while her doubles within the other tank looked on, and continued to laugh…

* * *

Toji's apartment was a disaster area, to say the very least.

As Hikari sat at the living room table, looking from Toji to his living space, she decided that she couldn't blame him entirely for the condition of his home. The apartment he lived in wasn't exactly one of the more premium dwellings to be found in Tokyo-3. While not as bad as some the class representative had seen, with Rei's apartment being the absolute worst, there were definite signs of wear and tear to be seen. That didn't change the fact that neither of the male Suzuharas apparently saw fit to keep the place especially neat and clean. Various odds and ends lay everywhere, seemingly at random, and it had clearly been a while since the floor had enjoyed a proper scrubbing.

Frowning, Hikari turned her attention from her crush's apartment to Toji himself. "So…" she started slowly, trying to get Toji to talk. "Did Shinji tell you why we're here?"

Toji's eyes widened in shock. "Huh? You mean he didn't tell you?"

Shaking her head, Hikari answered, "No. He just said it was serious, and that he'd tell me when we met here today." Her frown deepening, Hikari leaned closer to Toji. "Did Shinji say anything to you? Anything at all?"

"Huh. Just that he'd tell us when we're all here," Toji answered, leaning back in his chair and looking away. Then he narrowed his eyes in frustration. "Man, what's keeping Kensuke, anyway! It figures that we'd be stuck waiting on him!"

"You're one to talk, Toji," Hikari grumbled, looking away for a moment. Only to kick herself mentally afterwards.

_I hate this, _Hikari thought, thinking of the way Toji reacted to her when she was herself. When she was carrying out her duties at school, handling herself the way she had learned to at home, when she had taken on the role of matriarch for the Horaki family. As a result, criticisms and lectures came easier to her when dealing with Toji than sweet talk. With the only time she could escape that role was when she stopped being Hikari…and donned the scandalously revealing costume of Spirit.

_If only I could get him to look at me that way as Hikari, _the freckled girl thought woefully. Then a somewhat nastier voice kicked in around the back of her mind. _Of course, considering the fact that he's a boy, I'd probably have to wear a thong bikini to outdo Spirit!_

While Hikari was mentally reviewing the various difficulties relating to having a secret identity, not the least of which was the expenses associated with replacing shredded costumes, she heard a door opening. "Hey, Shinji! How're you doing?" came the familiar voice of Kensuke Aida.

"Oh, great! You're here!" Shinji responded. As the sound of the door closing reached their ears, both Hikari and Toji looked in the direction of the door, and watched as Shinji led Kensuke into the living room.

"Hey, Ken!" Toji greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Looks like the Three Stooges are all here," Hikari noticed as the other two boys sat down at the table.

"Yeah! So will somebody tell me what this is all about?" Kensuke wondered, his eyes glowing with excitement behind his glasses.

"Sure. I know I'd love to know the details," Toji replied, just before he swiveled his head to look at his fellow Stooge. "We're all here, Shin-man! So would you mind telling us what's going on here? What's going on with you, anyway?"

"I…" Shinji hesitated, glancing worriedly at the three of them. A thousand shades of fear, worry, and concern forming a mosaic across his face.

"Yeah, what is it?" Kensuke asked, causing Shinji to freeze up a bit more.

"Guys, come on," Hikari protested. Then she leaned over towards Shinji, and placed a comforting hand on his own. When Shinji looked up at her, she smiled sweetly. "Shinji…Toji said that you need our help with something. Now, I don't know what problem you have, but I do know that we want to help you. But we can't do that unless you tell what's wrong first."

"That's right, Shin-man!" Toji declared. "Now come on! What is it?"

"I…" Shinji tried again. This time, however, his expression hardened, and he looked at his friends more sternly. "Before I tell you, there's something you should all know. That…NERV's involved with this."

"NERV?" the three other teens repeated, with Hikari getting a very ugly feeling about this.

Nodding solemnly, Shinji then continued. "In fact...the stuff I'm about to tell you is top secret, and…if anybody ever found out I told you, we could all go to jail. Or…maybe even worse!" the boy declared. As his words sank in, Shinji lowered his gaze, his hands tightening about each other. "So…before I…say anything, I thought you should know that. Because…well, it could be dangerous, and…well…if you didn't want to do it, then I'd understand, and…"

"Hey, what did I tell you before, Shin-man?" Toji demanded. When Shinji met the jock's gaze, he find eyes that were hard and resolute. "If you need our help, then just tell us!"

"That's right!" Kensuke chimed in enthusiastically.

Hikari wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the boys. She had had more than a couple run-ins with NERV, as well as Section 2, all of which would have ended very badly for her if she hadn't been able to escape. If this had taught her anything, it was that NERV played for keeps. And as she thought of this, she realized something potentially worse. For while she knew that the boys would be in enough danger if NERV caught them doing something not allowed, she would be in a whole different world of trouble. If NERV decided to test her, examine her, they might discover the truth. That her body had been infused with Angelic DNA, that she was Spirit. And if that happened, Hikari couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences. Not only for herself, but for her sisters, and her father.

Even as she sat there, horrible images of Section 2 agents breaking into her home filled Hikari's mind. Of them arresting her family, or even gunning them down. Of being rendered a fugitive for life or being imprisoned within NERV.

Then Hikari once again looked at the desperate expression on Shinji's face, and felt her own fears take a backseat to her conscience. To the knowledge that friend of hers clearly needed help, and she had a feeling she already knew why.

"Shinji, please tell us!" Hikari finally demanded. "I don't know what's going on, but…we do want to help."

Gazing soulfully at Hikari, then looking at the others nodding their agreement, Shinji swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. Taking another deep breath, Shinji geared himself up to speak. "You all know…about Misato, right? That she's…not around right now?"

"Yeah, that's right," Toji agreed. "You said she was on special assignment."

"Well, the truth is that…she isn't on assignment," Shinji admitted. While the rest of them looked at him in surprise, the 3rd Child continued. "In fact…she's been in NERV all this time."

"Whoa! Really?" Kensuke got out, even as a bad feeling began to gnaw at Hikari.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Toji started, annoyance shading his face. "If she's not on assignment, then why hasn't she been around lately? What's going on?"

"Well…you see…my father had Misato locked away," Shinji confessed.

This definitely grabbed the attention of both the other boys. Kensuke's entire face became a picture of astonishment while Toji shot to his feet. _"What?" _the jock demanded, raising his fist. "What do you mean? What happened? Why would he do something like that?"

"It's because…" Shinji stalled, his own worries and fears clogging up his throat. The boy then squeezed his eyes shut, and seemed to be reciting something beneath his breath.

It was only after several seconds that Shinji was able to open his eyes again, the fear in his eyes even more prevalent. "You remember what happened with Jet Alone? How it went crazy, and Misato stopped it?" When the others nodded to this, with Toji settling down again, Shinji heaved another deep breath. "Well…before she went inside, she…cracked her helmet, and was…exposed to the radiation."

"No way!" Kensuke gawked in horror.

"You mean…she's _dying?" _Toji demanded.

"No, no! That's…not it," Shinji spoke lamely. Watching as his friends settled down, their confusion clear, the boy tried to explain. "You see…Misato was…exposed to an Angel a while ago, and…because of what happened, she was able to absorb the radiation without it hurting her."

"Oh, wow!" Kensuke got out, his interest growing exponentially. "Are you serious? That's so cool!"

While Hikari was taking a moment to wonder exactly what kind of fluff occupied the space between Kensuke's ears, Toji clearly experienced a similar thought, shooting the geeky otaku a deathly glare before returning his attention to Shinji. "Wow, man," the jock got out. "Is that why Misato-sama's…locked up? Because of what the Angel did to her?"

"Actually…there's more to it than that," Shinji confessed nervously. "Have you heard about that…that creature that fought Spirit?"

"You mean…that She-Hulk thing?" Hikari spoke, doing her best to be careful. To not give herself away. So doing her best to appear natural, the class representative widened her eyes and brought her hand to her mouth. "Oh, no! You don't mean that…Misato _is _that thing?"

Shinji nodded miserably to this, sending Toji and Kensuke's jaws clattered to the floor. "No way! _Misato-sama? _She's _She-Hulk?_ Oh, _man!"_

"Shinji, is this for real?" Toji demanded. When Shinji once again nodded, the jock once again shot to his feet. "But that's crazy! Why would she fight Spirit? It doesn't make any sense!"

"That's just it! Misato doesn't have any control of herself when she…she changes," Shinji explained woefully. "She can't even control it. It just…happens when she gets angry, and she…can't stop it."

While both of the boys sat there, stunned by all of this, Hikari was considering her next words. "Shinji…I'm so sorry," she murmured, once again placing her hand upon his. Then she took a breath, her expression hardening. "But there's something I don't understand. If Misato has become as...dangerous as you say, then why is NERV just keeping her prisoner? Given what you've said they've done to try and get Spirit, I'd have thought that they would…"

"Kill her?" Shinj guessed. When Hikari nodded, the 3rd Child shook his head in negation. "Well…Dr. Akagi and Father say that…they're trying to cure her. But…they also want something from her."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hikari wondered.

"Well, you see…it's about the Evas," Shinji confessed, causing expressions of confusion to appear on all their faces.

"The Evas?" Toji repeated. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"Well, they're partly organic," Shinji explained. "So…my father thinks he can use her to…make them even stronger."

"Huh? For real?" Kensuke gaped, caught between horror and excitement.

"Yeah," Shinji tersely nodded. "You see…Misato – She-Hulk…well, you know about the last Angel, and how we had to evacuate the city because of it?"

"Sure we do!" Toji answered. Only to have his eyes balloon out of their sockets. "Wait! You mean that…Misato-sama was the one who beat that thing?"

"Yeah. It was the only way we could think of to stop it," Shinji admitted. He then went on to explain the details of that confrontation, as well as giving the three teens some of the facts and figures NERV had recorded during their studies of Misato's She-Hulk form. An explanation that had Hikari grow a bit more pale with every word.

"No way…you're saying that…Misato survived the Angel exploding, an N2, _and _falling thousands of feet to the ground? _Without even a scratch?" _Kensuke drooled, excitement outweighing whatever horror he might have felt at Misato's condition.

Shinji nodded once again. "Anyway, Dr. Akagi figured that it was possible that they could mutate the Evas the same way Misato was. And…now that they know just how powerful She-Hulk is…"

"They aren't going to want to cure her anytime soon," Kensuke concluded.

While Shinji was nodding, Toji looked at Hikari's face, and noted the ill expression she wore. "Hey, class rep! Are you alright?"

"Huh. O-oh, sure! I'm…just fine! Thank you!" Hikari responded, trying not to make that fake laugh she sometimes made when she was lying.

The instant Toji looked back at Shinji, apparently satisfied, Hikari began mentally kicking herself clear to the moon. _That thing survives an N2, the Angel blowing up, and the fall, all in one day? Without an AT-Field? And I was trying to fight it with my _bare hands_? What was I even thinking?_

While Hikari was giving serious consideration to making a dunce cap and putting it on her own head, Toji was looking straight at his friend. "Shinji, I…I don't know what to say, man. I'm sorry, and…" the jock started, more sincere and apologetic then Hikari has ever heard him before. Then his features hardened again into a façade of false toughness. "But…what can we do to help?"

"Well, this would never have happened if Jet Alone hadn't gone crazy, and…" Shinji began hesitantly. "And…I think NERV had it sabotaged!"

If the things Shinji had told them already hadn't been enough to send their collective minds reeling, this latest declaration would have done the job. "No way! Are you serious?" Toji demanded.

Shinji gave a quick nod to this. "Misato told me about it. She said that…someone had reprogrammed it. And…well, I can't think of anybody else who might have done it! I mean…who else would've done it?"

"Well, there are probably a few other companies that might have benefitted from that," Kensuke pointed out.

Toji responded to this by giving the otaku a steely frown. "Yeah, but we all know NERV has done some pretty shady things before. Especially with Spirit!"

"Shinji…I'm so sorry," Hikari murmured sympathetically. "But…why tell us about all this?"

"Because I…don't know what else to do," Shinji answered miserably. "I've talked to a few people, but no one believes me about Jet Alone, or anything else. And…I didn't know what else to do. I mean…I don't know. I had to do something, but…I don't know how to do anything by myself, and…"

As Shinji trailed off miserably, Hikari looked sorrowfully at the boy. _I never should have left them alone, _she scolded herself, remembering how she had just flown away that day. Leaving both Shinji and Misato at NERV's mercy. Her insides turning inside-out, she gazed at the desperate boy, and for a moment, forgot her earlier concerns. "Shinji…I'm not sure what I can do, but…I'll do everything I can for you," Hikari vowed. "And for Misato-sama."

"Yeah, that's right!" Kensuke declared enthusiastically. "Hey, maybe I can get some information online! There might some clues left lying around somewhere!"

"You couldn't keep me away even if you tried! Count me in!" Toji declared, jerking his thumb at himself.

Relief practically flowing out of his body, Shinji smiled as tears began to well up in his eyes. "T-thank you, everyone," the boy practically sobbed out. Gulping loudly, he struggled to regain control of himself. "But…you do know this could be dangerous, right? I mean…I think my father had some people killed…to keep what happened to Misato a secret."

As Shinji explained what he had seen in the newspaper, Hikari noticed the expressions of the boys sobering somewhat. _I guess I wouldn't blame them if they decided to back out, _she thought somewhat sadly. _I mean…I have special powers, and still…_

It was then that Hikari noticed Toji stand up again. The jock walked over to Shinji's side, and placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "Shinji…like I said. I'm your friend, man. And friend's don't just back out on each other when they need them. Right, Kensuke?"

"Huh?" the okatu gaped. When Toji shot him a reprimanding glare, Kensuke straightened up and smile. "O-oh, sure! That's right!"

"Besides, Misato-sama needs our help, right? So I say we do it!" Toji grinned, sticking up his thumb. "Besides, with this brigade of teens on the case, what can NERV do to stop us?"

While Shinji was practically fainting with relief, Hikari was smiling as well. _Well said, Toji-kun, _she thought. Then she grinned more broadly. _The Teen Brigade, huh? That's kind of corny…but I like it!_

* * *

Author's Notes: Ugh! This chapter just didn't want to be written! But I hope you'll read and review, anyway! And maybe check out some of my other stories.

Mike313, you're right about Gendo and the consequences of his not praising Shinji. Let's just say I've got some big plans on that front.

Not much else to say, except for onto the omakes!

Omake 1

"What in the…?" Gendo started as he entered his office for the first time in what felt like forever. Only to see a massive grey-skinned woman in a broad purple hat and business suit seated behind a massive desk that now stood where his old one had been.

"Well, welcome back, Commander Slimeball!" She-Hulk grinned, leaning back in her outsized chair. "What do you think? You like what I've done with the place?"

His jaw hanging open, Gendo swung his head one way, then the next, for the whole expanse of his office had been transformed. Where there had been nothing but empty space, perfectly calculated for intimidating underlings, there were now potted plants, paintings, a television and two refrigerators.

"W-what…what is going on here? _Major Katsuragi!_" Gendo shrilled, staring hatefully at the huge grey woman.

"It's what's known as a hostile takeover! With Misato Fixit doing the taking over!" She-Hulk grinned. "Long story made short, you're out, and I'm in! Got it?"

Rage bubbling up within his mind, Gendo stared hard at the beast-woman gone gangster. "How dare you…you honestly think you can get away with this?"

"Sure do!" She-Hulk answered brightly, swinging up both her legs up over her desk for the entire world to see. "See, I've got the brains, the bod, and the team I need to succeed! Which means you and your precious little scenario are heading straight for the recycling bin!" Chortling at the outraged look on Gendo's face, She-Hulk shifted her legs about in a provocative manner. "Hey, I might not be green anymore, but I can still be green-minded. Though I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to be recycling toxic waste like you!"

"Now, see here…!" Gendo started.

"Oh, well, I suppose I'll figure something out," She-Hulk finally shrugged. Then she looked at one of the refrigerators. "Oh, PenPen!"

At this, one of the refrigerators opened, revealing the warm-water penguin. PenPen stepped out, wearing a black business suit and hat, a Tommy gun held tightly in his flippers. "Do me a favor and escort this garbage down to a holding cell? Maybe I'll let Shinji use him as a piñata later!"

"You won't get away with this!" Gendo all but shrieked, even as PenPen waddled up to him and prodded his family jewels with the barrel of his weapon.

"Now, now. Be careful, PenPen!" She-Hulk cracked as the penguin led Gendo away. "According to Rits, that's a _very _small target!

Omake 2

"Looks like the Three Stooges are all here," Hikari noticed as the other two boys sat down at the table.

"Soitenly!" Kensuke agreed. "So, eh…what's this all about, anyway?"

"How should I know! Nobody tells me nothing around here!" Toji protested, raising his hands in emphasis.

"That's because nothing sticks with you knuckleheads!" Shinji snorted. "I swear, if you had any brains, I'd knock 'em outta ya!"

"I guess that's one of the advantages of not having the, eh? Nyuk nyuk nyuk!" Kensuke grinned.

"Oh, a wiseguy, huh?" Shinji sneered, angling two of the fingers of one hand straight at Kensuke's bespectacled eyes.

"Wooo!" Toji grinned as Kensuke fell over. Only to earn a scornful look from Shinji, at which point he bopped the jock in the face.

Hikari just sat there laughing as the other two boys recovered and punched Shinji in the face, at which point Shinji returned the gesture to both of them, the three of them arguing the entire time. "You three are hilarious!" Hikari declared. "I swear, you're going to win the school talent show no problem!"

Shinji grinned at this. "So what do you say? Want some 'Moe'?"


	13. The Dawn of Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 13: The Dawn of Battle

"Aw, dammit! Not again!" Misato cursed, waving aside the smoke that was currently billowing from the stove. The purple-haired woman scowled hatefully as she opened up the stove door, only to grimace at the sight of the smoldering mess that once might actually have been called food.

"This just such a load of bull!" Misato grumbled, doing her best to rein in her anger and frustrations. She was tempted to breath deeply, to try and let her anger fade somewhat in that fashion, but the smoke that was clogging up the kitchen put a damper on that idea. Instead, she did her best to swallow her frustrations before they could get the best of her, and retrieved a set of oven mitts. Then she pulled the unsalvageable wreckage of her attempt at cooking, and gladly dumped it in the garbage.

Groaning once more before switching on the over fan in an attempt to vent the smoke, Misato fled the kitchen, trying to think of a way of venting her irritations that would not result in her completely losing it. At which point it would be a question of what happened first; the sleeping gas put her lights out for her once again, or…

Well, Misato really didn't want to think of the potential consequences of 'or'. So she decided to go with the traditional standby in a situation like this.

Taking a moment to brave the kitchen, NERV's resident gamma mutant held her breath as she went to the refrigerator and brought forth a couple cold ones. _Mental note: Make sure to ask Ritsuko or somebody else for more beer!_ Misato thought as she cracked open the can of Yebisu and took several quick chugs from it. In no time at all, the alcohol began to dull her irritation, quickly reducing the possibility of a visit from a certain green-eyed, fully figured monster.

Just while she was considering the possibility of crashing on her couch and taking out some of her lingering annoyance on a video game monster or two, Misato jumped at the sound of the door buzzer. "What the -?" the purple-haired woman demanded, turning about to face the door.

"Misato?" came Ritsuko's voice though intercom. After a few moments, the Major saw her friend's visage through the small window in the door.

"Oh, geez!" Misato started, placing her hand over heart before she managed a tense smile. "Dammit, Ritsuko!"

"What's wrong? Did I come at a bad time?" Ritsuko wondered, her confusion showing in her face.

"Something like that," Misato commented, the smell of burnt food still wafting up her nose. With a reluctant sigh, she gestured toward the door. "Well, you might as well come in."

Not bothering to respond, Ritsuko went about activating the door locks. With a reluctant groan, the heavy door opened, allowing the scientist to pass in. The moment she was inside, Ritsuko sniffed the air, and wrinkled her nose. "What the…?" she started, looking about wonderingly. She then gave Misato a lopsided frown. "I haven't smelled anything this bad since Kaji blew up that chemistry experiment back in college! What were you doing, trying to make a new, improved stink bomb?"

A vein popping out of her head, one of the last bits of annoyance sparking a deadly green glint in her eyes, Misato eyed her friend warningly. "Give me a break, Ritsuko! It's not like you're some kind of gourmet! Or have you forgotten the time you tried to make eel teriyaki for your old college boyfriend? Who was then your _ex-_boyfriend?"

Wincing at the memory of that particular fiasco, Ritsuko brought up her hands in surrender. "Alright, Misato! I give up! You've made your point! Now put away the green eyes!"

"What?" Misato started, only to take quick stock of herself. Sure enough, her heart was still beating a little too fast for safety's sake, and Ritsuko's commentary had irked her more than she wanted to admit. Taking a moment to close her eyes, Misato took a slow, deep breath. She waited several seconds, feeling her gradually slowing pulse, and once again opened her eyes. Sighing, she shook her head. "Sorry about that."

"I understand," Ritsuko nodded. "I know it…hasn't been easy on you, down here, and…" Letting her words trail off, the faux-blonde shrugged helplessly before looking towards the kitchen. "So, uh, at the risk of pissing you off again…what happened? Did you mess up something Shinji made for you?"

Giving her friend a sour look, Misato answered, "No, I did _not _mess up something Shinji made for me!" Then, taking another slow breath, the purple-haired woman stood there, an embarrassed look shadowing her face. "I just…messed up something _I _was making for me."

If Kaji had come into Misato's apartment wearing a leotard and started performing 'SwanLake', Ritsuko could hardly have been more surprised. "You were cooking something? From scratch?" the doctor spoke, each word she said passing her lips with great difficulty. When Misato nodded helplessly, Ritsuko leaned back and scrutinized her friend's expression. "Why were you…I mean…?"

"Trying to cook something when I can barely boil water?" Misato asked, her words more strained than angry. When Ritsuko nodded, keeping a very close eye out for any sign of green, the Major sighed wearily, throwing her hands in disgust. "I don't know, Ritsuko. I just thought…I'd try and do something for myself, that's all."

Raising an eyebrow, Ritsuko studied her friend with appraising eye. For as long as she had known Misato, the purple-haired woman had more or less subsisted on instant foods or things she didn't have to cook herself, mainly because she was a genuinely rotten cook, but also because she didn't like taking the extra trouble with the schedule she kept. The fact that she was now resorting to attempting to cooking her own meals could only lead the scientist to one conclusion. "Getting a little stir-crazy, huh?"

"A little? Try a _lot!" _Misato groaned. Heaving a deep sigh, she lowered her gaze before turning about on her bare feet, moving towards the couch. "I mean…I know you went to a lot of trouble setting this place up for me, and believe me, I really appreciate it, but…"

"You don't want to spend the rest of your life down here, Misato. I understand that!" Ritsuko told her.

"Do you? Do you really know what it's like for me, down here?" Misato asked, staring hard at her best friend. Staring with such intensity that Ritsuko was forced to take a step backwards before she was knocked down by the sheer emotional force behind Misato's gaze. "Ritsuko…I haven't been outside of NERV Headquarters since that mission against the 10th Angel. I haven't seen the sun, breathed the air up there. All I've been able to do is just…sit in here. Doing whatever I can to…keep busy. Keep going, and…" Falling silent for a time, Misato then mustered a faint shadow of her famous smile. "Despite what you might think, I do not enjoy just sitting around on my ass, doing absolutely nothing, day after day after day."

Looking at Misato, feeling like her own heart was sinking into her stomach, Ritsuko moved up to her friend and placed her hand on her should. "Misato, I truly am sorry about everything that's happened to you. You have to believe that," the doctor told her, turning so that her arm was draped across Misato's shoulder. With as much tenderness as she could muster, Ritsuko walked her friend to the couch. "And you're right. I can't imagine what it's like for you, having to live with all of this. But me and my people are working day and night, trying to find a way to cure you."

"I know, I know, Rits, but…" Misato returned somberly. Slowly sitting down, her gentle brown eyes followed her friend as she sat down on the chair opposite hers. "I feel like I'm…not really _alive _anymore! I'm just…existing down here. You and Shinji, you've both been so good to me, but…"

"Misato…" Ritsuko murmured, doing everything she could to remain calm, to keep her expression relatively free of emotion. And suspecting that she was failing completely.

"And that's not all," Misato said, drawing a more intent look from the scientist. Her gaze roaming about until it fixed on Ritsuko, the Major looked at her friend with worried eyes. "You know how I told you that…sometimes, I'd hear a voice whispering to me?"

Recalling that conversation, a conversation that had taken place just before Misato's nightmare had begun, Ritsuko nodded to her friend. "Of course I do," she said. When Misato lowered her gaze, the doctor frowned intently. "Why? Are you…still hearing it?"

"More than ever now," Misato admitted, heaving a heavy sigh. "I don't know why, but…every time it gets quiet, I can hear it. Hear that…that _thing _talking to me."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Ritsuko shrugged. When she was given a disbelieving look, the doctor explained, "We've already established that your transformation is triggered by rage, frustration, and other physical symptoms of stress. Things that would cause adrenaline to start flowing through your body. And when you're in your She-Hulk state, your more…primitive impulses are dominant. It could be just that your…prolonged isolation is increasing your normal stress levels."

The response Ritsuko got was a look of pure sarcasm. "No, really?" Misato grumbled, lowering her head as she stared daggers at the faux-blonde. "Ritsuko, you have no idea how much I want out of here! To…go and _break _something, to go for drive in my car, to…!"

"Do something that would send your adrenaline levels through the roof?" Ritsuko guessed. Resulting in an even more annoyed look from her friend. "Misato, while it is an established fact that physical activity is excellent stress relief, the risk is just too high! If you were to injure yourself -!"

"I'd turn into a big, green monster and start smashing everything in sight? That is, if the sleeping gas didn't stop me in my tracks first?" Misato asked, giving her friend a deep frown. "Ritsuko, I hate to break it to you, but right now, that sounds a whole lot better than just sitting through another soap opera, or losing another video game, or -!"

"Misato, I know it's tough for you down here, but you shouldn't even be thinking of things like that!" Ritsuko told her firmly, an edge of fear creeping into her heart.

"What, you think I don't already know that?" Misato growled, her frustration increasing. Wincing as she realized that her temper was once again getting the better of her, she balled up her fists, shaking them in impotent fury. "Ritsuko, I'm trying everything I can think of to remain in control here, but…I need something more! Something I can actually _do! _With my hands, my body!_ Something!"_

A frown spreading across her face, Ritsuko considered Misato's request for a time. Any physical activity bore with it a certain amount of danger, with the possibility of sending her pulse through the roof, and her adrenaline levels along with it.

_Then again, having Misato going nuts with cabin fever while down here isn't a good idea, either! _Ritsuko decided, the image of her pent-up frustrations unleashing a green-skinned destroyer that was an easy match for Unit 01 at its berserk best running around loose within NERV. Something that could happen if Misato decided for some reason to hold her breath long enough for the transformation to run its course, rather than succumbing to the sleeping gas and allowing it to quell the beast within her.

"Well, I can't make any promises, but…I guess I can arrange for some…aerobic equipment. It wouldn't be a drive through the city, but…it'd be better than nothing," Ritsuko explained.

Heaving a deep breath of relief, Misato then shook her head. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but thank you for helping me get some exercise!" she said, a hint of her teasing air returning.

"It's the least I can do," Ritsuko said, her lip curling up. "After all, I can't let you go around, wrecking all my hard work!" This tease got the result intended as Misato chuckled, some of the tension draining from her. "And now that that's out of the way, maybe we can get to the reason why I'm here?"

"Huh?" Misato started, broken from her mirth. However, her impish nature did not abate so easily. "You mean you didn't come down here just to bless me with your company? Or make off with even more of my blood?"

"Not exactly," Ritsuko returned. "I've actually made some progress on our studies of your mutation."

"What kind of progress?" Misato wondered, leaning forward with growing interest.

"Well, we've increased our understanding of how the transformation process works, we've successfully mapped out fifteen distinct genome sequences related to the mutation," Ritsuko slowly explained. Almost at once, Misato lowered her head, releasing a noise of displeasure. At which point the doctor smiled in a knowing fashion. "And…we figured why you turned red after the destruction of the 10th Angel."

At these words, Misato once again looked at her friend, her eyes narrowing. "What?"

"Actually, looking back, the answer was staring us right in the face all along," Ritsuko spoke in a self-depreciating manner. "As we already know, your mutation is a two-part process. The exposure to Adam, which in turn enabled you to safely absorb the radiation from Jet Alone. Which means that your cells must have an internal mechanism that allows them to regulate that energy. If they didn't, you would have died from radiation poisoning a long time ago."

"And isn't that cheerful thought," Misato grumbled.

"Now, my point is, even with this capability, there must be some…outer limit, some maximum amount to the level of energy your body can absorb," Ritsuko went on. The part of her that was a scientist clearly warming to the subject. "Now, when that limit was reached, your body responded by expending the excess energy levels in the form of intense heat. That's why you were setting things on fire, just by coming in contact with them."

Frowning as she tried to digest Ritsuko's words, Misato finally leveled a perplexed look. "In other words…I was sweating off the extra energy?"

"Essentially, yes," Ritsuko agreed. "Now, I know it might not seem like much, but this is actually good news, Misato." When the purple-haired woman just looked blankly at Ritsuko, the doctor smiled and tried again. "Since there's a natural, physical mechanism that allows you to expel excessive amounts of energy, then it's possible that we could find a way to use it to vent even more of the radiation from your body. Since you don't have an S2 organ to provide you with energy, then the extraction of the gamma radiation from your body might be enough to retard the transformation process. Maybe even cancel it out altogether."

"Uh, Ritsuko?" Misato started, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "I don't mean to sound negative, but that was a lot of maybes, ifs, and mights in there. Now, I know that that's better than a zero or lower, but…"

"You'd like a bit better odds before we actually try to mess with your body," Ritsuko concluded.

"Yes, I would," Misato agreed with a wry smile.

Nodding, Ritsuko matched her friend's smile. "In that case, I should probably get back to work," she decided, getting to her feet. "That is, _after_ I put in your request for some aerobic equipment."

"Yeah, you do that," Misato agreed smilingly. "And maybe later, you can drop by some reason _other _than just to talk shop."

"I'd like that," Ritsuko agreed as she turned and started towards the door.

Watching as Ritsuko left, the groaning of the door and clicking of the locks seeming to emphasize her friend's departure, Misato's smile faded. Once again she was alone. Completely alone…except for _her._

Even now, she could feel the impulses, the base desires. Things that had plagued her in times of loneliness in the past, things that had led her to spending a week making out with Kaji, to make disastrous attempts at relationships that ended up as one night stands. Things made even worse by her mutation, the knowledge that a savage beast within her desired nothing more than to act on those impulses. Waiting for the moment that Misato let down her guard…and surrendered herself to her basest desires.

And then there was something else. Something that had emerged within Misato when Ritsuko had spoken of a possible avenue for a cure.

Anger. Fear. Hatred. A sense of being threatened, and the desire to destroy that which threatened her. And while Misato did not know how she knew, but there was one other thing that she was certain of. That these feelings did not belong to the She-Hulk alone.

* * *

"Hmm…let's see," Hikari mused, leafing through one of her cook books. "What should I make for dinner tonight?"

The middle Horaki daughter was standing in the kitchen, giving careful consideration as this evening's repast, having long since abandoned the practice of asking her sisters what they would like to eat. The answer was very rarely the same, and when Kodama and Nozomi didn't see eye-to-eye on food, an argument was the usual result.

Ever since Hikari's mother died, it had more or less fallen to her to oversee the day-to-day running of Horaki household. As far as she was concerned, it was up to her to see to the needs of her family, and she did her duties diligently and without complaint. Still, that didn't mean that Hikari enjoyed playing referee for one of the arguments that frequently occurred between Kodama and Nozomi. As far as Hikari was concerned, her older and younger sisters argued too often as it was. The last thing she wanted to do was make her own job harder than it was.

_Hmm…grilled salmon sounds good, _Hikari finally decided, looking at the recipe in question._ And I have everything I need to make it._

Smiling, Hikari set the book up on the kitchen counter so that she could easily reference it. However, before she could even begin to fetch the necessary ingredients, she was startled by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "I'll get it!" came the eager voice of Nozomi, which was followed by the sound of her feet against the floors.

Thinking that it might have been her father home from work early, Hikari took a moment to peek out from the kitchen. She watched as Nozomi opened the door and spoke, "Oh, hello there! Who're you?"

It certainly wasn't her father, Hikari now knew. A fact that was driven home by the response, "Uh, my name is Shinji. I'm a…friend of Hikari. Is she in right now?"

"Yes, she is!" Nozomi replied before turning on her heel and cupping her mouth. "Hey, sister! You've got a visitor!"

"Yes, so I noticed," Hikari replied, exiting the kitchen. As she approached the front door, she gave her sister a frown that she probably inherited from her mother. "But what have I told you about not shouting in the house?"

Blinking as her mistake was driven home, Nozomi smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that, sister!"

Sighing in weariness, Hikari turned her attention to her unexpected visitor. "Hello, Shinji. How are you doing?"

"I'm…okay, I guess," Shinji decided, shifting about anxiously on his feet. Looking about the house, Shinji looked at Hikari. "Um…can I come in, please?"

"Yes, of course. I was just about to start dinner, though," Hikari admitted. Trying express that she didn't like unexpected visitors around dinnertime without blasting Shinji with that fact.

"Oh, that's okay. I wasn't planning on staying very long," Shinji replied earnestly. Slipping his shoes off, the boy then entered the house proper. "It's just…there's something I need to talk to you about. In private, that is."

A slight frown curling her lips, Hikari looked at the boy before her. The very fact that he didn't want to talk over the phone already a very telling thing. "Alright, fine," she said, gesturing for the boy to follow her. "We can talk up in my room."

Nodding, Shinji started after her. Only to jerk uncontrollably when Nozomi asked, "Hey! Are you gonna kiss him?"

"Nozomi!" Hikari blurted, staring daggers at her sister. When Nozomi was properly chastened, the freckled girl turned her attention to Shinji. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, it's okay," Shinji assured her. With obvious anxiety, he asked, "Could we…just get going? I really do have to talk to you."

_He got over Nozomi's joke, just like that? _Hikari gaped, knowing how easily Shinji fell apart when it came to women and any matter relating to the more intimate aspects of life. _It's official. Something is _definitely _wrong!_

"This way," Hikari spoke, gesturing for Shinji to follow her. Every step the boy took betraying his anxiety. A fact that was solidified when they entered her room, where Shinji quickly closed and locked the door.

"So…what is it you wanted to talk about?" Hikari wondered, eyeing the boy as she sat down upon her bed. "Does it have to do with the Brigade?"

Shinji smiled almost bashfully at this. Ever since Toji's declaration after the group's first meeting, the name Teen Brigade, or just the Brigade as they usually referred to it, had stuck like glue. "Well, no. It's not that," he admitted. "But…it _is_ important."

"Really? Then what is it?" Hikari asked. Shinji didn't answer, however. Instead, he stood there, his eyes falling to the floor. Something that only served to annoy the girl. Frowning, she stood and looked her friend straight in the eye. "Shinji, you said you had something important to talk about. Now please, could you just tell me what it is?"

Sucking in a quick breath, Shinji returned Hikari's gaze. Then, his visage hardened with a deep resolve, he answered. "Horaki-chan…I know that you're Spirit."

The instant these words penetrated her mind, Hikari was jolted with shock. Her entire body went rigid as she looked at the boy before her. A boy who now held her life in his hands. Her eyes flitting about wildly, as in search of a possible escape, Hikari tried to say something, but ultimately couldn't. Her vocal cords had been jammed shut, and her mind equally so.

Finally, after a long period of silence, one word escaped her lips. "How?"

His usual shyness returning, Shinji averted his eyes. "Back when you were fighting Misato – She-Hulk – you changed back to yourself for a while. And…well, I didn't get a really good look at your face, but…"

"But it was enough, wasn't it?" Hikari asked in a manner that showed she wasn't truly asking. Swallowing a breath, she felt her hands involuntarily clenching. "Shinji, _please_, you can't tell anyone about this! If NERV finds out that I'm…!"

"No, you don't understand! I'm not gonna tell anyone!" Shinji assured her, bringing up his hands in protest. "It's just…well…there's something important I have to tell you."

"You mean…other than you knowing that I'm Spirit?" Hikari asked, her already shocked heart all but stopping.

Nodding, Shinji looked at her hesitantly. "Dr. Akagi…she did an analysis of your wings. The ones that…" Shinji fumbled, the memories of that intruding upon him. Hikari just nodded, almost feeling the agony Misato's monstrous other had subjected her to. "Anyway, she said that they're…unstable."

"Unstable?" Hikari repeated with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well, she said that…you might lose control over your powers," Shinji explained tersely. He then went into greater detail about Ritsuko had said she had found, including the possibility that she would become as mindless as Misato did when she transformed. "I mean, I don't know if that'll actually happen or anything, but…I had to tell you."

Forced to sit down once again by the weight of Shinji's words, Hikari answered, "Shinji…thanks for telling me this, but…I haven't felt anything unusual. At least…not since I…first turned into Spirit, that is." Furrowing her brows, the freckled girl studied her friend. "Shinji, are you sure about this? It could…well…"

"Just be a trick?" Shinji gathered. When Hikari nodded, he sighed wearily. "I already thought about that, Horaki-chan, but…I still had to tell you. Just in case it wasn't."

"I appreciate that, Shinji. Thank you," Hikari responded somberly. "Is there anything else?"

"No, not really," Shinji admitted. He then gave an unhappy smile. "Actually, I have to get back home right now. I'm supposed to be making dinner soon, and Asuka will be mad if I'm late."

"That sounds about right," Hikari admitted. Though she did like her redheaded friend, she was fully aware that Asuka did like to be in charge. "You better get going, then."

"Right. Thanks, Horaki-chan," Shinji said. With a slight bow, he exited the girl's room, leaving the door open.

As she listened to Shinji's footsteps recede, however, Hikari found herself unable to do anything but sit there, thinking over his words. And while she was quite certain that at least half of everything that came out of NERV was a lie or close to it, she found herself wondering what would happen if this wasn't another of their tricks.

When she had first discovered her new powers, Hikari had been exalted and fearful at the same time. The feeling of power had almost been intoxicating, but she had also found herself inundated with questions. How this power got inside of her, what other effects would it have on her? Would she ultimately become as dangerous as the Angels themselves?

Though those questions had eventually been buried beneath her efforts to protect the city from the Angels, Shinji's words had rekindled those old fears. And despite the fact the NERV was playing all kinds of ugly games, Hikari knew Shinji didn't. And since it was his voice conveying those fears, they somehow became even stronger.

"Hikari?" came a voice from her door. When the pigtailed girl looked up, she saw her sister Kodama standing there, looking at her in confusion. "Shouldn't you be making dinner?"

Sighing heavily, Hikari lowered her gaze. "Do me a favor, Kodama," she got out. "Just order a pizza, okay? I'm not in the mood to cook right now."

* * *

One night, on the outskirts of Tokyo-3, a massive shipping truck sped down the dilapidated streets that were holdovers from when the city had been known as Hakone. Surrounded by crumbling buildings that were infested by the dregs of society, the transport vehicle continued on its way until it reached a ramshackle warehouse.

The trucked stopped before the creaking structure, its headlights hazily illuminating the building's side. Then the trailer's door slid open, and several people donned in commando-style outfits spat forth, carrying machine guns and outfitted with night-vision goggles. With precision that would have made any military officer drool, the men fanned out, scouting the area, searching for any potential witnesses to their activities.

They crept about the area, searching the buildings, going everywhere their equipment indicated a warm body that did not indicate one of their own. And one by one, they found anyone who was unlucky to just be there. Junkies, looters, homeless, it didn't matter. It wasn't long before they were all found. And with a burst of gunfire, the commandos made sure that they were forever silenced.

After several minutes had passed, the air was cleared of the sound of gunfire, and the commandos gathered in back of the truck, their eyes focused on the interior of the trailer. One of them at the center of the group held up his hand in salute. "Sir! The area has been secured, sir!"

"Then I take it that all prying eyes have been shut, eh?" came a deep, grating voice from within.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the one commando declared with the same enthusiasm. "You are free and clear, sir!"

"Good," the voice's owner rasped out, his delight clear to those who heard him. Without hesitation, a figure leapt from the trailer, landing effortlessly on the ground before the commandos. The dark figure, wearing what appeared to be a cloak or cape of some kind, looked over his shoulder. "It is time, Rhino. Follow me!"

"You got it," came another, far deeper voice, which was then followed by a deep, reverberating impact from within. The impact was followed by another as the trailer shifted from one side to the other as the first figure and the commandos moved to a safe distance. Finally, a massive, armored figure stepped down from the trailer, his frame so huge that he did not have to jump.

With both feet on the ground, the Rhino stretched out, spreading his arms and he twisted one way, then the other. Sections of his mechanized armor made various hydraulic noises as he moved about, mechanisms whirring with each move he made. "Ah! It sure feels good to be out of that damned sardine can!" he growled, giving a quick shake of his massive, horned head.

"Indeed, it is," his companion agreed before gesturing at the decaying building the truck was pointed. "Now, come! Let us get settled in our…temporary abode, while we wait for the signal."

Turning to look at the warehouse, Rhino released a heavy groan before shaking his head in dismay. "Aw, not _another _abandoned warehouse! I'm tired of those!"

"To be sure, it is not the Ritz Hotel, but the best we can do, under the circumstances," his companion agreed congenially as he started towards the building in question. "After all, it is not as if people such as us would go unnoticed if we were to go parading around through the city."

"Terrific. Story of my life. Another assignment, another damned abandoned warehouse," Rhino complained loudly as he stomped after his companion. "Do I least get some breakfast before I have to go to work?"

"I'm afraid our timeline is not nearly so flexible," the other admitted. "You'll just have to…eat as you go."

"Damn," Rhino muttered.

* * *

As Rei Ayanami woke up, her brain becoming more active, she began processing the various sensory input she was receiving. The dully, grimy surfaces of her dwelling, the fetid smell that clung incessantly to the walls, the sounds of the building creaking, as well as whatever people that happened to be around moving about. All in all, it was a familiar thing for her. What she had been raised to expect her entire young life.

Getting to her feet, Rei stretched as she shed the covers, her bare feet finding the cold floor as she went about her morning routine. Going to her bathroom, she turned on the water for her shower. After twisting the knobs about, causing water to spout from the showerhead, the albino placed her hand in the path of the water. It was cold, and showed no sign of warming.

Her lips pressing together, Rei got into the shower. Obviously, the hot water wasn't working, something that was wont to happen in such a neglected building. Although Rei would have preferred hot water, there was nothing she could do about it. So she bore up under the cold water as best as she could, and washed herself down. Then it was just a matter of toweling herself off and getting dressed. With these routine duties completed, the blue-haired girl went to her kitchen with the intent of preparing her morning repast.

Just as she was opening the refrigerator door, however, Rei's eyes went wide of a huge crashing sound. Whipping about, the albino swung her gaze about, only to take in a surprised breath as someone landed before her, having affected entry by crashing through the wall.

"Greetings, 1st Child. Or would you prefer I call you Rei Ayanami?" the intruder asked, smiling wickedly as he looked her over. His smile became even more cruel as he added, "Or perhaps even…Commander Ikari's pet project?"

Nonplused, Rei scrutinized the intruder, standing unflinchingly before him. "Who are you?" she asked as she examined him. For the most part, he looked like a normal human being, except that he was heavily muscled, and his skin had the color and texture of granite. He was garbed in armor that appeared to be made of the same substance as his body, and from his back sprouted a set of mechanical, bat-like wings. Clawed gauntlets adorned his forearms, with talons that were twin spirals of metal tightly woven together.

"Ah, forgive my ill manners! It was rude of me not to introduce myself, especially when I already know your name," the intruder smiled. He then bowed from the waist, placing his right forearm across his chest. "I am known as the Grey Gargoyle. And as for why I'm here…I have come for you, my dear."

Rei felt no fear as the Grey Gargoyle moved up to her. "What do you want of me?"

"A reasonable question. The answer to which is simple; I need bait for to bring out my intended quarry, and you are piece of said bait," Grey Gargoyle smiled coldly. Before Rei could react, he then wrapped his right hand about her wrist, with Rei flinching at his cold, unyielding touch. "Don't bother crying out for help, my dear. Even if Section 2 was capable of stopping me – which I sincerely doubt - I'm afraid they are just a bit too busy to come to your aid this day. My associate is currently seeing to this."

Not wasting any breath on words, Rei tried to freeze herself from the Gargoyle's grip, only to frown at the discovery that his strength far exceeded hers. A situation made worse by the fact that her arm was going numb. She couldn't move her hand at all, and…

Then Rei realized that her arm wasn't numb at all. Before her eyes, grey spread from where the Grey Gargoyle's hand touched her own flesh. Grey that was the same shade as the Gargoyle's own body. And where the grey appeared, Rei lost all feeling in that part of her body.

Looking up at her captor, Rei saw the Grey Gargoyle nodding at her. "I see you have realized what my touch is capable of," he said as her flesh slowly changed to stone. "But don't worry, my dear. You won't die. Not just yet."

Unafraid of death, unafraid of the Grey Gargoyle, Rei just stood there and watched as her body was completely fossilized. With the last thing she heard was her captor saying, "Now, whether or not you will stay alive long enough to wake up…I'm afraid that depends on just how much value you hold to your creator's people."

* * *

The instant Rei's conversion was complete, the Grey Gargoyle effortlessly hefted her up in both arms, smiling deviously as he took in her image. Though he wasn't into little girls, he certainly appreciated the innate beauty the cloned child possessed. If this was an inkling of how Yui Ikari had looked, then he could definitely understand why Gendo would choose such a woman as his wife.

Of course, why Yui elected to marry Gendo was still a mystery, but then again, there was such a thing as bad taste in men.

Clearing his throat, Grey Gargoyle shook his mind free of such thoughts. He still had a mission accomplish, and while he was done with one part of it, he still had to check up on his partner. Swinging Rei so that she was held in just one arm, he tapped the com-unit that was hanging from his left ear. "Grey Gargoyle to Rhino. Come in, please."

* * *

There was nothing quite like the sound of women screaming in horror to get the blood pumping.

At least, that was how it worked for the Rhino.

During the hours before the sun rose above Tokyo-3, he had listened to the Grey Gargoyle had carefully laid out their plan of attack. The first part was simplicity itself, and a drill that Rhino had been part of several times in the past. Even before he had volunteered for the process that had transformed him into the Rhino. Namely, he would tear ass through the city, causing chaos and mayhem wherever he went, while his partner went after whatever prize or hostage they needed to make the bosses happy.

Which was just fine by him, because it was probably the best part about his line of work.

His heart pumping deep within his chest and the sound of his ion boosters mixing with the horrified screaming of the people of the city, the Rhino charged down the streets of Tokyo-3. Everywhere he went, the citizens of the city fled before him, and why shouldn't they? He truly was a sight to behold.

Steel-grey armor plates covering his entire body, save for his face. Heavy armaments concealed within his armor, and the twin ion boosters affixed to his back, allowing him speed and maneuverability far in excess of the human norm, and a genetically enhanced musculature that made crushing anything in his path child's play. All of which was topped off by a spiral of metal atop of his head, it's design based on everything that had been learned from the Lance of Longinus.

As the Rhino charged along the streets, he spotted what looked like a very fancy, very expensive red sports car. Which to his mind translated as a target. Turning towards the car, the biomechanical behemoth lowered his head so that his horn lined up perfectly with his target. Targeting sensors on the sides of his head whirred about, feeding information directly into his brain, allowing him to aim even without using his eyes.

Finally, the Rhino heard the satisfying sound of metal shrieking in protest, his horn driving deep into the sports car's engine block. Lifting up with his head even as his ion boosters switched off, the armored behemoth tossed the car into the air before its alarm even had the chance to start screaming at him.

"Ah, nothing like a little exercise to start the day off right!" Rhino growled happily as he looked for his next target. Most of the people had already run away, but that didn't mean that there weren't plenty of opportunities to cause some carnage. Such as the gas station he had just sighted.

Giving a satisfied snort, the Rhino broke into an ion boosted run, his every footstep cracking the pavement as he rushed towards his target. Even as he drew closer, the Rhino directed a thought to his cybernetic armor, causing the massive plates of metal over his shoulders to slide open. A series of four missiles spat forth from these apertures, guided by his armor's targeting system so that they rained down upon the gas station. The result was a massive ball of fire erupting from the gas pumps, even as the Rhino once again lowered his head, with the side of a building his current target.

Ripping through the building wall like it was made of tissue, the Rhino smashed through wall after wall of the empty building, carving a swathe of destruction until he reached the other side. Exploding out into the sun once more, the biomechanical monster laughed manically as he continued to run.

Stopping to grab up another car, the Rhino heaved it up over his head, and was getting to throw through somebody's window when he heard something. An irritating noise that was already coming closer, and then multiplied. A noise that could only be the sound of police sirens.

Rhino couldn't help but grin. The police showing up was just another one of the little bonuses to his line of work. Something that was reassuringly familiar and fun on just about every assignment handed out to him.

Sure enough, a lineup of about half a dozen police cars ground to a halt before him. As each car came to a complete stop, one or two little creeps in uniforms leapt out of the doors. One by one, they gave various noises of horror as they took in the giant they had been sent to beard, took out a teeny-tiny gun and pointed it at him. And despite the fact that they obviously knew their little peashooters were at best a joke, one of them shouted, "A-a-alright, you! Just…drop the car, and…place your hands in the air."

It was all the Rhino could do not to laugh. He had done this so many times, it had become a bad joke with him. And yet, somehow, it still remained funny. Give some idiot a uniform, a badge, and a gun, and all of sudden, he thought he was in a position to order around just about anybody.

Seriously, there was just one way to deal with someone just so stupid.

"Sure thing, officer!" Rhino grinned, and without any noticeable effort, he tossed the car right at the police. Predictably, they scattered, allowing the car to crash right into two of the police vehicles. And then they started firing on him. Little chunks of metal pinged into reinforced titanium-steel armor plating, and bounced away. Leaving the Rhino not only unhurt, but laughing uproariously at this pathetic attempt to stop him.

Deciding to have some more fun with the weak little morons, the Rhino stomped towards them, the thick rings about his wrists, looking almost like gears fitted with heavy blades instead of teeth, began to rotate. They kept gaining speed until they were a blur, even as the Rhino brought his fists down upon one of the squad cars. The grinders tore their way through the metal with ease, sending shards flying in every direction. Upon seeing this, the police quickly figured out what would happened if the Rhino was allowed to get hold of them, and so they scattered.

The thrill of the chase in his blood, the Rhino prepared to polish his horn with the officers. But before he could move, his armor's comlink came online. "Grey Gargoyle to Rhino. Come in, please."

"Huh?" Rhino fumbled, so caught up in fun and games that he had forgotten about his partner. "Oh, hey, Gargoyle! Yeah, I'm here!"

"I have secured the first of our targets," Gargoyle responded. "I will deposit her at the rendezvous point, and then I will retrieve the second target. Just make sure that you keep the local authorities busy, eh?"

"Not a problem! This job's a piece of cake!" Rhino returned, only to frown when he heard the deep rumbling of his stomach. He then cursed inwardly at the realization that, with everything that was going on, he had forgotten about breakfast.

_That's the problem with these rush jobs, _the Rhino grumbled inwardly. _There's never enough time for the essentials. Damn._

"Very good! Then please, cause all the mayhem and destruction you wish!" Grey Gargoyle said enthusiastically. "Just be sure to keep away from the schools. We can't risk the other pilots being harmed, eh?"

"Sure. Right," the Rhino responded, only to hear the comlink click off.

Frowning in dismay, the Rhino shook his head at the prospect of his rampage being limited. Stomping through a school filled with kids was just about one of the most fun things he could imagine. Kids screamed really well, and squishing all those damn teachers who liked to make their students feel stupid was great for his own frustrations. And there was nothing quite like wrecking a school full of kids to get the kind of reaction that he was being paid to get.

_Still, orders are orders,_ Rhino thought unhappily. _Maybe I should stomp out a hospital or an old folk's home or something. That'll do the job. _While he was considering possible targets, his stomach once again growled unhappily. Which was ultimately what decided his next course of action. _That's it! I'll go wreck a mall! _he decided with a smile. _Those places _always_ have restaurants or those little snack booths or whatever! And I can cause all kinds of chaos while I'm getting breakfast, too!_

That settled, the Rhino set out, thoughts of more fun and a full stomach in his head as he ignited his ion boosters.

* * *

"Excuse me?" Gendo Ikari got out. He stared at the cell phone in his hand like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A man running around in…a rhino costume?"

"That's what it looks like to us, sir," came the voice of Iwao Chiron. "He's very large, six-and-a-half to seven-feet tall, fitted with heavy armor and weapons, and has a horn sticking out of his head, sir. And he's been attacking everything in sight."

"What progress has been made in stopping this creature?" Gendo demanded.

"None, I'm afraid," Chiron admitted. "It's completely bulletproof, heavily armed, and fast. I would say the threat posed by this creature is considerable."

"Have you notified Captain Ibuki?" Gendo asked.

There was a telling silence on the other end of the line. "No, sir, I thought it more important to notify you, first."

Furrowing his brows, Gendo considered the situation. Though Chiron was a capable officer, he frequently allowed his male chauvinist predilections get in the way of his better judgment. "Very well. I'll inform her," Gendo got out, his inflection making it abundantly clear that the Chiron would regret his decision. "Have Section 2 deployed, and prepare them for heavy combat. I want this creature stopped before it can impede our combat capabilities significantly."

"Very well, sir," Chiron answered before disconnecting.

Unable to hide his distaste as he speed-dialed Maya, Gendo tightened his grip on his arm rest, the patent leather interior of his limousine suddenly of no comfort to him. Though it was suitably luxurious, and fitting a man of his position, it was not the seat of power. It was not the hub of control that was his office or his seat on the bridge, and it was these places that he dearly wanted to be.

His frustration mounting with each ring of the phone, Gendo finally heard the line connect. "Hello, Maya speaking."

"Captain Ibuki, this is Commander Ikari speaking," Gendo intoned. "The city is currently under attack. I want you to order an evacuation for all civilians. Have them go to the Angel shelters at once."

"Under attack?" Maya returned, her voice betraying her confusion. "We haven't had any indication as to an Angel appearing, and -!"

"It is not an Angel!" Not bothering with niceties, Gendo took a breath and continued. "Just do as I say, Captain!" he ordered, raising his voice just enough to let the young woman know that he meant business. "If you want further information, contact Captain Chiron. He already knows the details."

"Sir! Understood, sir!" Maya returned, her voice brisk and official.

"Good. I'll be arriving shortly," Gendo spoke. "Just make sure that –"

His words cut off by the sound of screeching metal, Gendo was then hurled against the restraints that was his seatbelt. Looking about wildly, the Commander of NERV focused his gaze up front. "Driver, what's happening?" he demanded, but his only answer was the sound of smashing glass. Leaning forward, Gendo watched as a stone-grey fist reached in, touched the driver…and rendered him as of stone.

Realizing his peril, Gendo started to undo his seatbelt, but was cut off by the sound of something impacting upon the roof. Which was then followed by two hands of stone ripping through the metal and peeling it open like a sardine can. "Sir? What's happening? Sir, can you hear me?" Maya continued to cry out as man of stone leapt into the limo, grinning as he wrapped the fingers of his right hand about Gendo's throat.

While Gendo was squirming helplessly, trying to free himself, the man took his cell phone and smiled. "Hello, young lady," he spoke in heavily accented Japanese. "I'm sorry, but your Commander is currently…occupied."

"What's going on? Who are you?" Maya demanded, even as Gendo felt his body going numb.

"I am known as the Grey Gargoyle, and as for what is going on, I am simply…borrowing your Commander. Just as I borrowed the 1st Child," he explained, grinning the entire time. His eyes widening at the mention of Rei, Gendo redoubled his efforts against his assailant, but to now avail as control of his own body faded. "As for how long they stay in my custody, well…I'm afraid that depends on precisely how cooperative you are, eh?"

"NERV doesn't make deals with terrorists!" Maya declared forcefully.

"Oh, but my friend and I are not terrorists. We are not in pursuit of money or power. Not this day, anyway," Grey Gargoyle assured her. "I'll be happy to explain more thoroughly…when the time suits me, that is."

Those were the last things Gendo heard before he slid into unconsciousness.

* * *

"What?" Shinji gasped, staring in disbelief at Maya. "Ayanami and…my father? They've been kidnapped?"

"It looks that way," Maya admitted, looking uncomfortably at the boy standing before her. She, Shinji, Asuka were standing on the bridge, with Ritsuko and the rest of the bridge crew present.

"Here's what we know so far," Ritsuko spoke in her usual tone of voice. Activating a holographic display, she showed the two children images taken of the invader, as well as the battles that had been fought to stop him. "Early this morning, a heavily armored individual began attacking the city. Both the police forces and Section 2 attempted to stop him, but with no success."

"Look at the size of that thing!" Shinji gawked, staring at the heavily armored figure. Scenes of battle flashed by, with Section 2 even deploying helicopters armed with rockets. With none of their weapons even leaving a scratch on the biomechanical behemoth. "He must be as big as She-Hulk!"

"At least. And he has a substantial arsenal of weapons at his disposal," Ritsuko agreed, even as a picture of the metal madman deploying a set of Gatling guns from his forearms, sending down one of the helicopters in a blaze of destruction. "In any case, while the police were busy, someone else kidnapped both the Commander and Rei. We have no idea where they are now, but we were informed that the kidnappers would be contacting us later."

_I don't believe this, _Shinji thought wearily. He hadn't been all that concerned when Rei had not shown up at school that day. On more than occasion, the albino had been absent, presumably because his father had wanted her elsewhere. Then the order had gone out to have everyone evacuate to the shelters, while Shinji and Asuka had gotten the call to report to NERV Headquarters. Leaving Shinji overwhelmed, with too much happening too quickly.

If Asuka felt similarly, she didn't show it. She just stood there, placing her hands to her hips. "Well, what are you gonna do about it?"

"There's not a lot we can do about it right now," Maya admitted, the strain of the situation evident. "We don't know where the kidnappers are, and we can't risk any harm coming to the Commander or Rei. At the very least, losing Rei would mean losing the use of Unit 00."

"We'll just have to wait until the kidnappers contact us first," Ritsuko agreed.

Though Ritsuko's words made sense, Shinji couldn't help but feel the weight of everything falling down upon him. Sighing wearily, his eyes fell to the floor. "Hey, cheer up, Third!" Asuka commented, drawing the boy's attention. "C'mon, it's like they said! They won't let anything happen to Wondergirl or the Commander! Besides, it's probably just a couple creeps looking to make a fast buck! No big deal!"

"I hope so, Asuka," Maya spoke up. When everyone looked at the young Captain, however, they could easily see the fear that lay in her eyes.

* * *

Her heart pounding in her chest, Hikari rushed to her house. Her hands fumbling nervously, she threw open the door and raced to her room.

Though she had no idea as to what was going on, Hikari knew two things for certain. That everyone had been evacuated, and that Shinji and Asuka had been called to NERV. Two things that were definitely indicators of trouble. The fact that she hadn't sensed an Angel or any other anomalous being was immaterial; it was obvious that trouble was brewing.

_I'm just glad that it's not Misato on another rampage!_ Hikari thought gratefully as she retrieved one of her costumes from its hiding spot. A new one that she was certain would be thoroughly broken in by the time she was done. _She's worse than an Angel when she's mad!_

Doffing her clothes, the pigtailed girl prepared to don her costume…only to freeze. Several seconds passed in which she just stood there, staring at the fresh costume she had labored to create, thinking of all it symbolized. Her power, her other identity, the dangers such powers brought with it, both from without…and within.

_If what Shinji said was true…_ Hikari thought, her heart clenching at the thought. If she truly did lose control of her powers, did that mean that she would become like Misato? A mindless monster in her transformed state, a destructive beast?

Sucking in a deep breath, Hikari shook her head, trying to shake loose those errant thoughts. _No, there's no time for this! I have to get moving! People could be in danger _right now_! I have to do this!_

Doing her best to still the fears clutching at her heart, Hikari slipped into her costume. Her heart still thundering within her chest as she put her mask on. Fear still gnawing at her as she made her out the back of her home, making certain every step of the way that she was unseen.

Once she felt she was a safe distance away from her home, images of herself as a mindless destroyer lashing out at everything she loved doing their best to force their way to the forefront, Hikari thought, _I have wings. _And when she transformed, leaving gravity behind as she took to the sky, Spirit could only hope that she could also outrun her fears.

* * *

"Uh, Captain Ibuki?" Makoto sounded, his voice trembling somewhat as he spoke. When Maya turned to look at NERV's resident otaku, she was met with a wary face. "The MAGI just detected a red/blue pattern."

"Oh, great!" Ritsuko swore vehemently. "First the Commander and Rei are captured, and now _Spirit's_ getting involved! This is _pathetic!_"

"Well, maybe she's just trying to help," Shinji pointed out. Trying to keep the relief he felt at the knowledge that one of his friends was out there out of his voice. Along with the fear he felt for her, knowing that the monstrous destroyer that he had seen displayed lay in waiting for her.

"Huh! We don't need that winged bitch's help!" Asuka sniffed, sticking her nose up in the air.

Turning to look at the redhead, Shinji couldn't help but wonder, _Would you say that if you knew…she was your best friend?_

"Asuka, please," Maya frowned. She then looked at Ritsuko, a hopeful gleaming to her eyes. "Anyway, it's possible that Spirit might be able to rescue the Commander and Rei. After all, she's done pretty well against the Angels."

"I must say, I'm disappointed to hear you say that, Captain Ibuki," came an older voice. A voice that Maya's eyes ballooning from their sockets while her jaw clattered to the floor.

"Fuyutsuki!" Ritsuko spoke as the old professor appeared on the bridge.

Shuffling about on her face, Maya slowly turned to face her superior. "Uh, Sub Commander, sir!" she fumbled, trying to gather herself up. The wheels spinning about madly in her mind, the Captain finally hit upon a possible answer. "It's just…given our current situation, I would think that our top priority would be the safe return of Commander Ikari, and -!"

"I know that, Captain Ibuki," Fuyutsuki answered, placing heavy emphasis upon her rank. "However, if we are forced to be reliant on a self-appointed vigilante to do our duties for us, the long-term consequences will be substantial. The press has already been taking us apart because of Spirit's interference. If she was to save Ikari and the press got hold of it…"

"Boy, I'll say!" Asuka snorted. "Damned bitch is always butting in where she's not wanted!"

"But, sir…!" Shinji started, looking in protest at the people before him. However, before he anyone else could say something, the holographic display before them sputtered, degrading into a chaotic montage of light and static.

"What's going on?" Maya gaped, her nerves already maxed out. Her answer was the holographic display shifting, resolving into a face. As Shinji studied the man displayed, his first reaction was that something was wrong with the color. The picture of the man was completely grey, leaving him looking like his skin was made of stone.

"Greetings, people of NERV," the man smiled, eyeing them menacingly. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am…the Grey Gargoyle."

_Guess the color is working after all, _Shinji decided with ill humor as the man stood back from the camera.

"As you may have already realized, I am the one who currently holds the fate of both your Commander and one of your pilots in my hands," the Grey Gargoyle went on. "Now, is there anyone present in a suitable position of command for me to speak to?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, Fuyutsuki stepped forward. "I am Sub Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki. To my left is Captain Maya Ibuki, our Operations Director," he announced, tipping his head in Maya's direction. "I believe we qualify as being in a suitable position of command."

"Indeed, you do," the Grey Gargoyle agreed. He then leered in Maya's direction. "And you are quite a fair sight to my eyes, Captain Ibuki, eh?"

Her lips tightening, Maya looked up at the being of stone before her, and gathered up her courage. "Where are Commander Ikari and the 1st Child?" she asked without betraying any anxiety. "Are they still alive?"

"Indeed, they are. Observe," the Grey Gargoyle replied, gesturing off to his side. The camera followed him, and settled upon what appeared to be a set of statues. Statues of Rei, Gendo, and a woman that none of them recognized. Much to their surprise, the statues of Rei and Gendo were tied securely to a set of wooden poles.

"Statues?" Asuka gaped in disbelief. "You think you're gonna fool us with a couple of _statues?"_

"Statues they are…for now," the Grey Gargoyle agreed. "However, if you will watch closely…you may be surprised." He then placed his hand upon the statue of Rei, and before their eyes, a bizarre transformation occurred. The stone-grey surface softened, breaking apart into different colors. The transformation progressed, until it was not a statue, but a living, breathing child looking about in shock. Taking in her surroundings as she found herself bound and helpless.

"Ayanami!" Shinji cried out as the others stared in awe. "Are you alright?"

As surprised as he had ever seen her, Rei soon focused on him. "Ikari-kun," she murmured gently. "I…appear to be well."

"Allow me to explain what has just happened. My body has been infused with a specially devised nano-virus, which is capable of rendering anything organic, and even certain inorganic materials, as of stone. It is the presence of this virus in my body which is responsible for my…current appearance," the Grey Gargoyle explained, gesturing to himself. "As you can see, I am capable of transmitting this virus into anything I touch, thus rendering it stone as well. A very effective method of restraining one's victims, eh?"

Frowning dangerously, Fuyutsuki locked gazes with the Grey Gargoyle. "Assuming that is what happened, then I'm certain you would not mind reverting Commander Ikari as well."

"Ah, but I'm afraid I would," the Grey Gargoyle countered. "Your Commander is a bit too treacherous to allow any freedom. I would not be surprised to learn that he had some manner of tracking devices on his person that would allow you to find my companion and I. Something which, at present, I would prefer not happen." The stony being just stood there, looking at the NERV personnel mockingly, reveling in the silence. "However, that is not to say that I would be averse to returning your beloved Commander to normal, or to restoring him and this precious young maiden to your custody."

"What is it you want in return?" Ritsuko asked. "Money? Technology?"

"Technology is something I already have ample access to, as is money, dear woman," the Grey Gargoyle laughed. "No, what I want is for you to send us a very…special person."

"A…special person?" Maya repeated blankly. "Who?"

"I have heard tales of a great green giantess, a creature dwelling within Tokyo-3," the Grey Gargoyle went on. "A creature NERV has designated as…She-Hulk." While everyone there was registering shock at their antagonist's words, he nodded in delight. "In one hour's time, my companion and I will bring both the 1st Child and your Commander to a place of my choosing. Once there, we will signal our location, at which point you will have one further hour to deliver this She-Hulk to us."

_He wants Misato!_ Shinji gaped, his mouth falling open in his horror.

Taking a deep breath, Fuyutsuki stepped even closer to the holographic display. "Listen, Gargoyle or whatever you call yourself, there is something you should know. I have no patience for games, political or otherwise. They're a waste of time, and at my age, I have precious little time to lose playing them," the professor began, projecting each word with utter authority. "I don't know how you learned about She-Hulk, nor do I care. But you clearly do not know what you are asking of us. The creature you are referring to is all but uncontrollable. Easily as dangerous as an Angel. To ask us to simply turn her over to you…!"

"Oh, believe me, Sub Commander, we are well aware of the potential dangers of such a beast, especially in transporting it," the Grey Gargoyle spoke with thinly veiled sarcasm. "And I do not ask that you turn her over to us. I merely wish for you to let her loose someplace near the arranged meeting place…so that my companion here can deal with her."

"Your companion?" Ritsuko demanded. Only to gape in horror at the biomechanical behemoth that strode into view. A being that looked far more menacing while moving about then in the still pictures Shinji had seen earlier.

"Please allow me to introduce you to my partner, the Rhino," the Grey Gargoyle hissed, gesturing at the monster behind him. "As you are surely aware, he is quite a formidable combatant in his own right. And a good match for this She-Hulk, wouldn't you say?"

Taking in the figure of the monstrous being, Shinji then directed his attention to the Grey Gargoyle. "You mean…you want us to send Mi- I mean, She-Hulk to you…so Rhino can fight her?"

"No, young one," the Grey Gargoyle responded. "I expect you to do this so that Rhino can exterminate her. With extreme prejudice, so to speak." Horror washing over the people there, the stone monstrosity nodded at them mockingly. "And given how…uncontrollable and dangerous you say she is, I would think you would be grateful to be rid of her, eh?"

Turning to look pleadingly at Fuyutsuki, Shinji was caught between fear for Rei and even for his father, and the desire to beg him to keep Misato safe. In the end, however, he could only stand there and watch as the Sub Commander told him, "Very well. Just as long as you understand that she will be unrestrained. And dangerous."

"Danger is not a problem for us," the Grey Gargoyle assured them. "Your terms are most acceptable, Sub Commander Fuyutsuki. I must say, I never expected you to be so reasonable, eh?"

"Reason has little to do with it," Fuyutsuki retorted, a deadly glimmer in his eyes. "It's just my opinion that you're about to get a whole lot more than you bargained for."

Laughing superiorly, the Grey Gargoyle held up his hands, his mechanical wings spreading somewhat in emphasis. "Ah, whatever your reasons, it is still refreshing, not to have to put up with the bickering and bargaining all too commonplace in such dealings," he told them. "Then, all you need to is wait an hour's time for our signal, and then leave her out for us."

"Agreed," Fuyutsuki agreed. "Just be sure you live up to your end of the bargain, Gargoyle."

"But of course! I am, after all, a man of my word," the Grey Gargoyle declared. A dangerous shadow then appeared on his face. "Of course, should She-Hulk not arrive in time, or if you send an Eva in her place…"

"Don't," Fuyutsuki cut in. His expression hardening to match even the Grey Gargoyle's stony demeanor.

"Don't?" the Grey Gargoyle repeated blankly. "Don't what?"

"Her," Fuyutsuki spoke, looking hard at the third statue. A young woman, whose face was frozen in fear. With the cybernetic nightmare called the Rhino standing behind her, a lethal smirk on his face. "Don't make her an example of what will happen if we don't comply. I've seen enough death to know what it looks like."

Blinking rapidly, the Grey Gargoyle studied the Sub Commander for a time. After what seemed like an eternity, however, he smiled what appeared to be a genuine smile before nodding to the Rhino. "Very well. Leave her be, Rhino."

The Rhino's response was to gawk at his partner in shock. "What?" he fumbled. "B-but you said…!"

"I don't think a demonstration will be necessary after all," the Grey Gargoyle explained. "And seeing as how our new friend Fuyutsuki is being so cooperative, I think he deserves a reward, eh?"

A sulky expression on his organic face, the Rhino looked at the stone woman with obvious disappointment, muttering various curses beneath his breath. Finally, much to Shinji's relief, he finally backed away from the woman.

Without betraying any emotion, Fuyutsuki bowed his head. "Thank you," he got out, his voice a ghost of itself. "Send your signal when you are ready. We will be watching."

"And when you fulfill your end of the bargain, we will gladly…uphold ours," the Grey Gargoyle smiled. The display once again dissolved into chaos, and finally disappeared.

"How could you do that?" Shinji bellowed as he turned about. Staring hatefully at the Sub Commander, he raised his fists up before him. "You mean you're just going to hand Mi -!"

"Not here, 3rd Child," Fuyutsuki retorted. Heading towards the door, he gestured for the others to follow him. While they exchanged several confused looks, Shinji, Asuka, Maya, and Ritsuko moved to follow. They walked in silence, following the Sub Commander to an elevator for which he had pressed the down button. When the doors finally slid open, Fuyutsuki got onboard, and held the elevator open for the rest of them to join him.

As soon the elevator had closed up and was in motion, Fuyutsuki addressed them. "My apologies, Shinji. However, I didn't want any unauthorized personnel to learn about Major Katsuragi's…involvement with She-Hulk."

His expression one of surprise, Shinji just looked at the professor for a time. "Oh, right! Sorry, sir!"

"Okay, but what now?" Asuka wondered. "You're not seriously gonna hand Misato over to those two creeps, are you?"

"That is not my intention," Fuyutsuki answered. "What I will do is this. I will go down to Major Katsuragi's quarters. I will then explain the situation to her in full detail, and allow her to make her own decision."

"You do realize what her answer will be, don't you, sir?" Ritsuko asked in a manner of patent disapproval.

"Of course I do," Fuyutsuki answered sadly. Then he gave the doctor a smile, ten years seeming to lift away from him. "But as I said to the Gargoyle; I believe he _and _the Rhino are about to get a lot more than they bargained for."

* * *

"Oh, I'll do it, alright!" Misato growled fiercely, sparks of green appearing in her eyes as she spoke. "Just let me near those assholes! If Greenie doesn't rip them apart, then I promise you, _I will!"_

"I thought that might be your attitude," Fuyutsuki noted. He and the others were now seated within Misato's current home and prison, the old professor having just finished briefing her as to their situation. Resulting in a dangerously eager and annoyed Misato. "Still, I recommend you be careful. This Rhino is extremely dangerous, and if the hostages are anywhere near them when you go into battle, the chance of them being hurt or killed would be very high."

"I understand that, sir," Misato agreed unhappily. "But I don't think caution is going to be much of an option. In case you haven't noticed by now, She-Hulk isn't exactly big on playing it safe."

"I'm aware of that, Major," Fuyutsuki nodded. "However, the fact remains that, unless you appear, we'll lose any chance of retrieving Commander Ikari or the 1st Child."

"Um, excuse me? Isn't this really stupid?" Asuka protested. As everyone turned to look at her, the German fixed them with a deadly gaze. "This has been in like a dozen movies! Bad guys take hostages, demand something, and when they get that something, they _kill the hostages anyway!_ You don't actually think that this Gargoyle creep is gonna play along with us?"

"Actually, there is a chance that he will," Fuyutsuki answered, taking them all by surprise. "I've dealt with terrorists in the past. Their chief desire is to inspire fear in their victims, to petrify them into doing whatever they want, and they'll use whatever means they can to do so."

"So?" Maya wondered.

"It's been my experience that terrorists will often execute one of their victims, or torture them in full view of those they intend to extort from. This is used as a demonstration of power, and as a way of undermining their enemy's resolve," Fuyutsuki explained carefully. "But all I had to do was ask him to spare that young woman, and the Grey Gargoyle agreed."

"So what are you saying?" Ritsuko asked, looking much like she was studying the situation like she would a cell sample beneath a microscope.

"That while this Grey Gargoyle is dangerous, I don't believe he is a terrorist of the kind we are used to," Fuyutsuki intoned, fitting very nicely into the role of a professor. "I don't think he's just after She-Hulk, in and of herself. He wants something more, and he's willing to play nice with us in order to get it."

"But what could that be?" Maya asked, looking more and more lost.

But Misato was not lost. She was looking square at Fuyutsuki, nodding her understanding. "He wants She-Hulk fighting mad, that's what he wants," the Major declared grimly. "He wants her to come in at full steam ahead and fight this Rhino creep with everything she's got."

Four sets of eyes bulged out at this statement, gazing hard at Misato. The only one unaffected was Fuyutsuki himself, his own eyes were narrow slits. "I agree, Major. That's only explanation."

"Wh-what…?" Asuka sputtered out disbelievingly.

"But, sir, that'd be suicide! Even for the Rhino!" Maya protested, her mouth and eyes wide open with shock. "You saw what She-Hulk did the 10th Angel! And when she fought Spirit…!"

"Yes, we are all aware of that, Captain Ibuki," Fuyutsuki returned. "However, it's possible that our opponents are not fully aware of what She-Hulk is capable of." When his audience continued to look at her perplexedly, the old professor gave them a look like he was preparing to lecture at a college. "Think about the Grey Gargoyle's demands. He wants She-Hulk delivered to him and the Rhino, but he made no protest when I explained that she would not be restrained. Giving these things, I think the only possible explanation is that the real reason why they are doing is this that they want to test She-Hulk's power. To learn the full extent of her capabilities."

"But why?" Maya asked. "Why would someone do this?"

"Same reason Gendo wants to use my gamma green genes to power up the Evas?" Misato suggested, raising a finger towards them. She then gave them a wry smile. "I know the genetics company I used to work for would probably sell their souls for one little look at what's floating around in my bloodstream!"

"Makes sense," Ritsuko agreed with a nod. "A superhuman solider would probably fetch a high price. Especially in one of theThird Worldnations."

As he looked at the doctor, Shinji had to admit that her words made a great deal of sense. Though he wasn't an especially avid student, he was aware of the world created by Second Impact. Of the many tiny empires that had been created across the globe, run by terrorist organizations and other cruel regimes whose laws were enforced by the cruelest of mercenaries. He could very easily see any one of them delighting in having their own Hulk or She-Hulk.

There was just one problem with that theory, and Maya was the one to voice it. "But…that Rhino looked pretty powerful to me," the Captain protested. "Why would these people be so interested in She-Hulk when they already have something like that?"

"I don't know," Fuyutsuki admitted. "These people may see She-Hulk as some sort of…competition, and want her eliminated. Or this whole situation could have been designed with the intention of obtaining a sample of She-Hulk's tissue, or even capturing her entirely."

"Makes sense," Misato nodded. "Rhino gets in there and keeps Greenie busy while this Grey Gargoyle creep moves in. Then he turns her into stone – however the hell he does that – and they take off with her in a packing crate." Then the purple-haired woman furrowed her brows and turned to her friend. "How can anybody possibly turn someone into _stone,_ anyway?"

"Well, humans _are_ carbon-based life forms, and carbon is what coal and diamonds are made of," Ritsuko explained. "Theoretically speaking, if this nano-virus the Grey Gargoyle spoke of was sophisticated enough, it could…"

"All very fascinating, Dr. Akagi. However, the nature of our enemy's abilities is not our foremost concern. Safely retrieving Commander Ikari and the 1st Child is," Fuyutsuki broke in. "Now, we still have half an hour before the Grey Gargoyle said he would signal us. Let's use that time to prepare. I want to cover everything before you actually go out there." Letting this sink in, the older man looked hard at Misato. "At the very least, there's one very serious issue we have to address."

"What's that?" Misato wondered.

"Assuming everything goes well, and that you – She-Hulk - is able to defeat both the Rhino and Grey Gargoyle…what's to stop her from escaping Tokyo-3, possibly even attacking another city?" Fuyutsuki asked with deadly seriousness.

Her eyes widening, Misato then let a disgusted noise, "Sir, with all due respect, I really don't think that's important! I - !"

"I'm sorry, Misato, but Fuyutsuki's right," Ritsuko countered. When the Major gave her friend an aggravated look, the doctor sighed. "Besides, you already told me that you're feeling a bit cooped up. And given She-Hulk's more primitive impulses, there's a danger that she may try to escape without even trying to help the Commander."

"Hey! There's no way in hell that I'm abandoning anyone to those freaks! Him, Rei, or that other girl!" Misato snarled vehemently.

"I know you wouldn't, Major. But as you already conceded, She-Hulk is a more uncertain variable," Fuyutsuki reminded her. "We need a way to insure that not only your other half does what we want her to do, but that she'll come back to us when everything's said and done."

"Well…can't we fit her with a transmitter, or a homing beacon?" Maya suggested hopefully.

"We tried that the last time, Maya. And as you may recall, none of She-Hulk's equipment survived her previous mission," Ritsuko reminded them. "Considering the amount of chaos this Rhino has caused so far, I doubt that any transmitters we give her will remain functional long enough to us any good."

"Well…maybe if she were to swallow something…?" Asuka suggested tentatively.

"That may work as far as keeping track of She-Hulk is concerned, but it's still no guarantee that she will remain within the city limits," Fuyutsuki spoke, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. Then, with a decidedly unhappy expression, he turned to at Shinji. "Pilot Ikari?"

"Uh, yes sir?" Shinji responded.

"As we've already seen, She-Hulk responds quite favorably to you. Even following every instruction you have given her while on the testing range," Fuyutsuki intoned, never once looking away from Shinji. With every word he spoke, causing Misato's face to twist with horror. With her finally snapping when the Sub Commander said, "This being the case, I see no alternative than to send you along with Major Katsuragi on this mission."

_"What?" _Misato roared, brilliant green sparking in her eyes. Shooting to her feet, Misato rushed towards Fuyutsuki, emerald fury finding its way to her veins.

Seeing the catastrophe in the offings, Ritsuko got in front of her friend. "Misato, you have to calm down!" she declared, already witnessing bulges forming about her body. The beast within already trying to force its way out.

"Misato, please stop!" Shinji spoke up, causing his guardian to swivel her gaze at him. Panting heavily, Misato met the boy's gaze before swallowing deeply. Then she once again looked at Ritsuko, snorted loudly before turning around, stomping over to the wall. Her hands balled up into fists, Misato brought them, growling under her breath as she looked at them. Leaving everybody helpless to just watch her as she rode out her anger, waiting until she finally turned and faced them, her eyes brown once more.

While the danger was gone, however, Misato's anger clearly was not. "With all due respect, sir, what you are proposing is just goddamned stupid! You want to send Shinji out with me when I'm supposed to be fighting that monster? Are you insane? Do you want Shinji to be killed, is that it?"

"That is not my intention," Fuyutsuki corrected her, forcing an air of calm that seemed beyond inhuman. "And as you may recall, I said that I wanted Shinji to accompany you, not She-Hulk."

"And there's a difference?" Asuka asked, squinting one eye at the Sub Commander.

"A significant one," Fuyutsuki returned before once again looking at Shinji. "Pilot Ikari, what I intend is this. You and Major Katsuragi will be given a full Section 2 escort. As soon as we receive the Grey Gargoyle's signal, they will transport both you and the Major to the designated area." Not losing momentum, the old professor than turned to face Misato. "Major Katsuragi."

"Sir?" Misato spoke warily.

"As soon as you are in position, you will then use whatever means you feel necessary to provoke the transformation," Fuyutsuki spoke, being firm and understanding at the same time. "Do your best to remain undercover before you do so. As near as we can tell, our adversaries are currently unaware of She-Hulk's…other identity. I would rather that they remained unaware of this, and I'm certain you would, too."

"Yes, sir," Misato got out hurriedly. Her expression reflecting her determination to regain control of this situation. "But, sir, Shinji -!"

"The reason I want him there is the same as when we were performing those tests on She-Hulk," Fuyutsuki explained. Once again looking at the boy, the older man continued. "Pilot Ikari, as soon as the Major has transformed, I want you to give She-Hulk instructions as to what we need her to do."

If it were possible, Shinji would have looked even more surprised. "Y-you want me to tell Misato…to go fight that monster?"

"I'm afraid that is correct," Fuyutsuki told the boy. "I also want you to tell her to come back to you as soon as the battle is over. I'm certain she would be far more likely to return of her own volition if you did so."

"Sir, with all due respect, are you sure this is necessary?" Ritsuko wondered nervously.

His lips tightening, Fuyutsuki eyed the faux-blonde grimly. "I believe so, Dr. Akagi. Though in all honestly, I wish it weren't."

"But sir -!" Misato protested.

"Major Katsuragi," Fuyutsuki broke in, fixing her with a formidable glare. And while Misato was unafraid, and did not back away, she did stop in her tracks. "Even forgetting the potential damage She-Hulk is capable of causing if she were to escape, something none of us here can afford to forget, and even if everything goes right with this operation, there is one very important matter you have to consider."

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Misato just gazed at the Sub Commander. "Which is…?"

"What would happen if She-Hulk were to escape, and were to change back to you while outside of the city limits. Beyond our area of influence," Fuyutsuki spoke. His words setting everyone aback, leaving them all silent. And while Misato was shaken, her eyes shifting one way, then the other, the old professor painted in the blank canvas he had just set up for them. "Even assuming that She-Hulk was to end up in the middle of nowhere, with no one to see her change back into yourself, you would still be alone and possibly exposed to the elements until we were able to locate you and affect a rescue. That is, assuming she didn't find her way to another city, and someone were to find you when you reverted."

Her lips parting as if in protest, Misato then closed them, her expression signaling her comprehension of the situation. "I…I understand, sir," she finally spoke, her reluctance painfully clear. "And I'll accept this decision, but only under two conditions!"

With an unyielding face, Fuyutsuki asked, "And those would be?"

"First off, if Shinji goes, it's because he wants to. No coercion, no arm-twisting. None of that crap," Misato stated evenly. Turning her eyes towards the boy in question, her gaze shown with signs of mourning, not green. As Shinji took in the look aimed at him, the Major's visage once again hardened as it shifted once more to Fuyutsuki. "Second, I demand that the agents accompanying him be fully armed and armored. And that as soon as She-Hulk is out and ready, they get him as far away from the danger area as soon as possible."

Nodding curtly, Fuyutsuki returned, "I can accept your terms, Major." With that, all eyes fell upon Shinji, who felt the weight of these collective gazes. "Well, then, Pilot Ikari? What do you have to say?"

Confusion and a hint of fear weighing on his features, Shinji looked from one face to the next. Searching for answers and reassurances wherever he looked. Until finally his eyes found Misato's, even as she spoke. "You don't have to do this, Shinji-kun," she murmured. "If you don't want to do this, I swear, I'll understand. I…"

"No, Misato, it's…alright," Shinji finally spoke, looking deeply into her eyes. "I…I want to do this. I mean…you're going out there. To rescue Ayanami and Father, right?"

Nodding, Misato spread her arms out before letting them fall back to her sides. "I don't know how much of the actual rescuing I'll be doing, but…yeah. I'm going."

"Then…I'm going, too," Shinji assured her. Darting a sideways glance at Fuyutsuki, the boy gave Misato an earnest look. "Because…I want to make sure that…you come back. I…"

"Shinji…" Misato murmured, taking a deep breath.

"Well, you sure chose a great time to grow a spine, Third!" Asuka sniped. "Hope it doesn't wind up getting you turned into a statue!"

"Asuka…!" Misato spoke, this time with a more menacing tone.

"Well, unless there are any objections, I suggest we get moving," Fuyutsuki stated. "I want everything ready to move as soon as that Gargoyle sends his signal."

"Actually, sir, there is one other thing you haven't considered," Maya broke in. "Spirit's out there somewhere, possibly looking for the Rhino. What if she finds him and the Grey Gargoyle first, and…"

"That's why we have to be ready to mobilize the instant we receive the signal," Fuyutsuki responded. Darting a look at Misato, the professor saw the disapproving look she shot him. "Major, I know you disapprove of NERV's decisions regarding that girl, but in this case, Spirit's interference can only make things worse. Even is our opponents didn't kill Ikari or the 1st Child, they may choose to make an example of the third hostage after all."

"Or they might clip the dumb bitch's wings," Asuka commented with a superior smirk. "I know I wouldn't mind that!"

"Asuka, be quiet. You're being obnoxious," Ritsuko grumbled. When the redhead stuck up her nose in response, the doctor looked hard at Fuyutsuki. "And if Spirit somehow sets off a battle before we can get into position? What should we do then?"

With an air of grimness, Fuyutsuki looked at the faux-blonde. "We pray, Dr. Akagi," he answered simply. "Right now, I'm afraid that's all we can do."

This said, Shinji looked down at the floor, feeling as cold, clawed fingers were seizing hold of his heart…

* * *

Feeling the wind whip at her face as she soared above the streets of Tokyo-3, Spirit felt as free as humanly possible. Her wings easily allowing her to defy gravity and rise above it all, she found her worries and concerns fading away. Even the fears Shinji had stirred within her lost their power over her with each flap of her wings.

_Too bad NERV has it in for me,_ Spirit thought sadly. _I'd love to be able to get out like this more often. Just forget all my troubles and fly…_

Smiling wistfully, Spirit returned her attention to the matter at hand. Over an hour had passed since she had taken flight, scanning the city for any anomalous activities. Any sign of what had caused so much death and destruction in so many different places. And while she had found some ways to pass her time, such as investigating a water main break or scaring some looters determined to take advantage of the evacuation, she hadn't found any sign of whatever was responsible for the destruction seen that day.

_But I can't give up! _Spirit thought, recalling Rei's absence from school that day. _If whatever attacked us had something to do with her being missing, then I _have _to find her! And fast!_

So Spirit kept searching, looking about the skyscrapers of Tokyo-3. Searching for a sign. Much to her surprise, she got one.

A dull boom echoed in Spirit's ears, causing her to give a sharp gasp as she looked around for the source. Then she caught sight of the sparkling remnants of a firework of some kind, hanging above one of the older towers of Tokyo-3, in the area left over from when it had been known as Hakone. Even as she hung there, another firework flew forth to detonate, and was soon followed by another.

With a grim tightening of her face, Spirit gave a flap of her wings. _Might as well check it out, _she thought. _Though the way my day is going, it'll probably just be some dumb jerk who decided to send up fireworks where no one would catch him._

Setting into an easy glide, Spirit approached the building in question, carefully scanning her destination. It wasn't long before she spotted five figures atop the roof. One was a fairly large man, decked out in high-tech armor, with another much smaller man with grey skin and mechanical wings.

_Hmph. Copycat, _Spirit thought disdainfully. Then she took a close look at the remaining three figures. All of them appeared to be tied up, with two of them were immobile. The third was a scantily clad female, and though Spirit couldn't make out her face from a distance, she could definitely make out the girl's blue hair. _Rei. And it looks like those two creeps kidnapped two more people while they were at it. Bingo._

Quickly considering the matter, Spirit decided that there was no way to be subtle about it. With the two creeps on the lookout, it seemed inevitable that they would see her before she get close. _My best chance is to come down between those two goons and the others, _Spirit decided. _Set up my AT-Field and blast away at them both before they do anything to stop me._

Though she wasn't too fond of her plan, Spirit knew that there wasn't much time to be really fancy. Every second she waited increased the chances of her being detected, and the kidnappers using the captives as shields. Or therapy bags, for that matter. So the winged girl eyed the target area, took a deep breath, and dove down. The wind rushing past her face, Spirit watched as the concrete drew closer and closer, until the last minute when she spread her wings, effortlessly breaking her descent. The two creeps heard the wind rushing off of her and turned about, but it was too late as she landed, spreading her AT-Field.

"Alright, you two! It's all over!" Spirit cried out, deadly white energy appearing in the palm of her hand. "Now, unless you want this to get ugly, I suggest you -!"

"Ah, you must be Spirit! I must say, I was wondering if you would put in an appearance, eh?" the winged man commented with a devious grin. To Spirit's surprise, he was a big man. Easily a foot or so taller than her.

_Wait…but that means…_ Spirit thought, a drop of sweat rolling down her face as she turned to look at the creep's companion. At first, all she saw was his legs. And then she looked up. And up. And up until she saw a small, eager face set into large plates of metal, with beady eyes gleaming out at her. Gears and servos hissed as the giant brought his hands together, laughing as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation. Topping off this horror was a massive horn of spiraling metal, the very sight of which sent terror shooting up and down Spirit's spine.

"Oh, _shit…_" Spirit got out as the giant took a step forward.

"Yes, Rhino does have that kind of effect on people," the smaller man commented. Small being a relative term, for his companion would make just about anyone look like a midget. "Now, then, would it be safe for me to assume that you have come on some ill-thought mission of mercy? Perhaps to relieve us of our hard-won captives, eh?"

"Uh...something like that," Spirit got out lamely, trying not to sound as scared as she felt. All the while thinking that she was failing miserably at this.

"Well, while I appreciate the excitement that such heroics naturally provide as anyone, I'd say there were two very large problems with your plan," the smaller man commented.

"Yeah, and I think I just met one," Spirit noted grimly. "Nice horn, by the way."

"Glad you like it," Rhino rumbled happily. "Maybe I'll get the chance to introduce you to it more personally."

"Which brings us to the other problem," the grey-skinned man went on. "May I direct your attention to the hostages which you hope to rescue. Something that, I assure you, will be more difficult than you realize, eh?"

Frowning in confusion, the winged girl looked over her shoulder. "Statues?" she got out as she looked at Rei and the immobile figures she had seen from above. "What the…?"

"They are not statues," Rei spoke, giving no sign that she was at all distressed by her captivity. "Commander Ikari and the woman have been infected by a nano-virus. Just as I was."

"A nano-virus which only I can cure, my adventurous young friend," the other man informed her. "So, even in the instance you are somehow able to escape with our guests, something I am extremely doubtful of, it would them very little good."

"Yeah, so why don't you just fly back to whatever little chicken coop you came from, girly?" Rhino growled menacingly. "Before I give you a harp and halo to go with those wings of yours!"

Gulping loudly, Spirit continued to stare up at the Rhino. Not so long ago, she had put all of her faith in her AT-Field to keep her safe from these two. But as she looked at the horned monster before her, she once again felt a dull ache on her back where her wings met her body. Remembered the pain she had felt when She-Hulk had gleefully torn them out. And then there was the horn, the sight of which still sent chills running up and done her spine.

Feeling the quaking of her flesh and doing everything she could to stifle it, Spirit looked at the winged man. "Who are you anyway? And what do you want?"

With a smile as cold as the stone he was made of, the Grey Gargoyle looked at the girl. "I am the Grey Gargoyle, young lady. A name I suggest you treat with respect. And as for why Rhino and myself are here…let's just say that we have some business in Tokyo-3 that needs to be attended to."

"What kind of business?" Spirit asked.

"Business that's none of _your _business!" Rhino snarled. "Now back off before -!"

"Now, now, Rhino! We do not want to start a fight now. Too much danger to our valuable hostages, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle chided. "And as for you Spirit, I would strongly recommend that you behave yourself. I have no objections to you remaining here, but I suggest you refrain from acting on aggressive tendencies you may be feeling." When Spirit gave a questioning look at the Grey Gargoyle, his smile became even more deadly. "After all, it would certainly be tragic is I were for some reason unable to counteract my touch. Especially within the next…three to four hours."

Goosebumps forming her skin, Spirit eyed the Grey Gargoyle. "What happens in three to four hours?"

Chuckling deviously, the Grey Gargoyle looked hard at the girl. "To be very blunt, in three to four hours, those trapped as stone will asphyxiate. Despite the partial suspension my touch causes, they still need a modicum of oxygen. Which is something that, tragically enough, they are unable to partake in right now."

Once again fearful, Spirit looked at the three figures near her. While she was still uncertain about what the Grey Gargoyle said, how those statues were actually people, Rei's assurance that this was the case was more than enough to force her to take this possibility seriously. "Well, if you're so worried, why don't you cure them?" Spirit asked pointedly. "Assuming, of course, that you can."

"Rest assured, that it not a problem," the Grey Gargoyle smiled darkly. "However, I'm afraid that NERV will have to provide me with the proper…incentive to do so."

"Incentive?" Spirit replied. Narrowing her eyes, she then looked hard at the creature of stone. "In other words, they either give you whatever you want, or you let them die."

"A crude way of putting my grand scheme, my dear, but essentially correct," the Grey Gargoyle returned. "However, if you're so concerned about the fate of our guests, then please, feel free to wait with us."

Of all the things Spirit could have imagined the Grey Gargoyle saying, this hadn't even come close to being on the list. "What? she got out. "Y-you just…?"

"Why not? After all, it's not as if your appearance was unexpected by us, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle explained deviously. "Rest assured that we are more than capable of…dealing with you, should you decide to resort to violence as a way of solving your problems." His face splitting open into a deadly grin, revealing teeth that were as solid stone as the rest of his body. "And to be honest, it would please me to have you here."

"It would?" Spirit got out.

"Indeed. My…partner here can be somewhat temperamental unless he is suitably amused," Grey Gargoyle explained, gesturing at the Rhino. "However, if the guest of honor should fail to make her appearance…well, I'm certain that you provide ample entertainment for us, eh?" The stone monstrosity then chortled as Spirit's mouth slid open. Her eyes once more flitting towards the mechanical beast standing before her.

"Yes, I think your struggle for survival would be most entertaining," the Grey Gargoyle nodded. "And in the meantime, you can keep your young friend over there some company, eh? I'm afraid Rhino's social skills leave a certain something to be desired."

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Misato asked, looking somewhat irritable as the armored personnel transport hit yet another bump.

"Almost, Major Katsuragi," the Section 2 man at the wheel replied, speaking through the partition between himself and the vehicle's rear compartment. Both he and his partner displaying signs of wariness as they drove along. Every second bringing them closer to the building indicated by the fireworks. "We'll be there in just a few minutes."

"Don't worry, Misato," Shinji murmured as reassuringly as he could. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just worried, that's all," Misato grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. She gave a remarkable impression of a very cranky patient waiting for her doctor to get done with her, an image helped by the loose medical gown she was still wearing. "Are we still picking up Spirit's pattern?"

"Yes, ma'am," the agent riding shotgun answered. "There's still no sign of combat, though."

"Misato, it's okay," Shinji told her, trying his best to look hopeful. "I mean…I'm sure Spirit wouldn't do anything to hurt Rei or Father."

"I know that, Shinji. But if she's there, why hasn't she done anything?" Misato wondered helplessly. "It's too quiet out there, and I don't like it!" Shaking her head in barely constrained frustration, the purple-haired woman looked up at the driver's section. "Dammit! I wish Fuyutsuki had let _me _drive!"

Almost laughing at Misato's ire, Shinji just looked at her for a time. She was acting far more lively and more like herself since leaving NERV. Even her righteous indignation was warming his heart. And helping him put aside his own fears.

_I hope you're alright, Horaki-chan, _Shinji thought, feeling his own concerns for his friend. Who was presently facing two horrible monsters given human form.

Then the APV hit another pothole, causing Shinji and Misato to fly up out of their uncomfortable seats before once again landing harshly. "Ouch!" Misato squawked angrily. She then turned to look through the partition with green spitting from her eyes. "Hey, watch it, asshole! What, are you _trying _to hit every goddamned hole in the road, is that it?"

"Sorry!" the agent at the wheel cried out, his voice dripping with fear. "It won't happen again, ma'am!"

"It better not!" Misato growled with a bit of a roar to her words.

Fortunately for the driver, he successfully avoided striking another hole in the neglected roadways. The minutes passed slowly, until finally the other agent announced, "We're approaching the target, sir!"

"It's about time!" Misato declared. "Honestly! You drive like an old lady!" While Shinji was laughing at this description, the Major's features were taking on additional fierceness. "Now, remember! Under no circumstances are you to allow Shinji anywhere near the battlefield! And if I find out that he got so much as a scrape because of you two screwing up -!"

"You don't have to worry, Major," the agent riding shotgun explained. "Our orders are to protect the 3rd Child. Rest assured that we carry out those orders."

"Yeah, well, you better!" Misato growled. "Because if you don't, then God better help you, because divine intervention will be the only thing that will keep me from shoving my fists down your throats."

Though Shinji didn't have the best view of the two agents, he could have sworn that they were both paling at Misato's threat. _Well, the Sub Commander did say that he'd lock them up with Misato if they messed up, _the boy remembered with a certain fondness. His own opinion of Section 2 having been rather low since his own first encounter with the Morons in Black.

Taking a moment to picture the agents he had met with Kensuke all trapped with a hopping mad She-Hulk, Shinji almost missed it when the APV came to a gentle halt. "We're in position, Major," the driver told her. "There doesn't appear to be any sign of anybody up there."

"Are we still reading Spirit up there?" Misato asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes, ma'am," the other agent replied. He then looked over his shoulder at her. "Would you like me to go and look? See if I can confirm the enemy's presence?"

Frowning, Misato seemed to consider this for a moment. "Alright, fine," she finally said. "But be careful and keep covered. Don't be a hero."

"No worries there," the agent said as he undid his seatbelt. "I don't get paid enough for that."

As he swung open the door, Shinji gave Misato a concerned look. "Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I can be," Misato answered. "Besides, all we know right now is that Spirit is up there. And I'm not taking a chance by transforming until we confirm the creeps in grey are up there as well."

Pursing his lips as he saw the logic to Misato's words, Shinji then looked up front when he heard the other agent speak. "They're here, Major," he announced.

"You're sure about that?" Misato asked.

"I just saw the big one," the agent responded. "That thing they called the Rhino."

Heaving a deep breath, Misato quickly thought out her next move. Between Spirit and the hostages, she couldn't just transform and go nuts. Her next few moves had to be done just right. "Call out to Rhino. See if you can get his attention," she ordered. When the agent hissed in surprise, she cut him off before he could speak. "We have to find out if the hostages are here first, remember?"

"Oh. Right, ma'am," the agent replied with all the enthusiasm of going to have a root canal done.

* * *

"How are you doing?" Spirit asked. The winged girl was sitting next to Rei, a reassuring hand upon her shoulder.

"I am unhurt," Rei answered. The albino then shot a curious look at Spirit. "Why did you not leave? You are in danger here."

"You're in danger here, too, in case you've forgotten," Spirit reminded her.

"True, but you are currently unable to help," Rei countered, her eyes going over to where the Grey Gargoyle stood watching. His stony eyes taking in their every movement. "It makes no sense for you to stay here. Especially since you know my abductors mean you harm."

"Well, I have to admit that I'm not too happy about that part," Spirit conceded. "But…I don't know. I just…thought you shouldn't be alone, that's all. And if worse comes to worse…"

Her eyes narrowed in an analytical manner, Rei asked, "You intend to fight them?" Spirit said nothing to this. "If there is a battle here, it is likely I and the others will die anyway. And you as well."

"Hey, you just let me worry about that," Spirit assured the blue-haired girl. "In the meantime, we just have to hope that…"

Though she was unsure of exactly what she was about to say, Spirit was cut off before she could make something up by a cry of delight from the Grey Gargoyle. "Ah, it looks like NERV has finally delivered our quarry to us!"

"It's about time!" Rhino grumbled as he moved over to the edge of the roof. "I'm practically rusting away here!"

"I very much doubt that, but still, tedium does take a toll on one, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle returned.

"I just hope this bitch lives up to her rep!" Rhino growled.

"Huh?" Spirit got out before once again looking at Rei. "What are they talking about?"

"They demanded that NERV deliver She-Hulk to them," Rei explained in her usual quiet voice. "They did this with the intent of having Rhino fight and defeat her."

"What?" Spirit got out, goggling at the albino girl. She then shot an incredulous look at the biomechanical abomination.

"Yeah, that's right. You got a problem with that?" Rhino growled, pointing a massive finger at the winged girl. Then a thoughtful look spread across his face. "Hey, wait a minute. Ain't you supposed to have fought that green lady yourself?"

"Uh, yeah," Spirit slowly answered. "And I barely got away with my _life! Why?"_

"Tell me something; is that broad really as tough as they say?" Rhino asked with genuine curiosity. "See, I haven't had a really good fight in the longest time, and I'm really looking forward to this."

"You're…looking forward to this," Spirit repeated numbly.

"Yeah, but…it ain't no fun if she's just gonna fall over with one punch!" Rhino complained, holding up his hand in emphasis. "So is this She-Hulk just a lotta tabloid hype, or does she got some real muscle?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Spirit countered, struggling to keep her face under control. "You mean to tell me…that you came all the way to Tokyo-3, and went through all of this…because you want to _fight _She-Hulk?"

"Yeah, that's right," Rhino answered earnestly.

"You're not looking for some kind of exchange of prisoners or anything, you don't want her locked up and sedated," Spirit went on, greater shock showing with each word she spoke. "You really, honestly want to _fight _her? As in with you hitting her and her hitting you?"

"That's exactly how it is!" Rhino told her. "But seriously, do you think she's gonna go down with one lousy punch, or is she gonna make this interesting for me?"

That was the last blow to Spirit's self-control. The very idea of someone actually _wanting _to fight someone capable of ripping apart an Angel with her bare hands, who had survived an N2, an Angel exploding, and a fall of thousands of feet through the air was just too much for her. Unable to stop herself, Spirit snorted with laughter, laughter that quickly built up.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Rhino demanded, his question triggering an even larger burst of laughter from the winged girl. Falling over on her back, Spirit curled up on the roof, guffawing madly as she wrapped her arms about her stomach.

"What is your problem?" Spirit asked, tears of hilarity rolling down her face as she somehow managed to look up at the Rhino. "What, do you just _want _to die, is that it? Are you into having your limbs ripped off or some kind of S&M shit?"

Raising an armored eyebrow, Rhino then looked at Rei. "What's her problem?"

"I am not sure," Rei admitted. "However, to answer your question, She-Hulk has been determined to be extremely strong and destructive. I believe she will provide you with a sufficiently difficult fight."

"Oh, good, good. That's all I wanted to know, okay?" Rhino spoke, casting a dubious eye on Spirit. Who remained helpless with laughter.

"Rhino! Please bring the 1st Child over here!" the Grey Gargoyle spoke. "It would seem that NERV's people want to insure that we have our promised goods before they will unshackle our prize."

"Works for me," Rhino answered, easily hauling Rei to her feet.

Instantly recovering from her laughing fit, Spirit rose up. "Hey, be careful!"

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt the kid, Chuckles!" Rhino grumbled as he dragged her over to the roof's edge.

"Indeed. If NERV is truly delivering our prize, then the last thing I want is to respond by giving them damaged goods in return," the Grey Gargoyle commented, striding towards his two victims. Bowing down between the two of them, the stone beast placed his mechanical claws upon the seeming-statues and hefted the both up. "Alright, Commander Ikari, young lady. It's time to present you to our guests."

This declaration sent Spirit's eyes wide open. "Commander Ikari?" she blurted as the stone monster hauled his victims to their feet.

"Yes. I understand that you've had a quite a bit of trouble because of him," the Grey Gargoyle commented. "Now, I would strongly recommend that you do not try anything to interfere with me. For I will brook no interference in my affairs. Is that understood?"

"I understand," Spirit retorted, watching as the Grey Gargoyle hauled the two stone figures to the edge. Feeling helpless to do anything but watch, even as Gendo and the woman shifted from stone to flesh.

* * *

"They're all there," the Section 2 agent whispered into the APV. "Grey Gargoyle and Rhino, along with all three hostages."

"Are they alright?" Misato demanded.

"Looks that way," the agent. Then he gave the transport's occupants a sarcastic look. "The Commander sure sounds alright, at least."

Quirking an impish smile, Misato looked over at the 3rd Child. "Well, Shinji-kun, it looks like it's time for She-Hulk to put in an appearance."

"Uh, okay," Shinji answered, giving her a pensive look. "Just…be careful out there, okay, Misato?"

"Well, I don't think I've got a choice there. It's She-Hulk that's going to be dealing with those creeps, not me," Misato commented sourly, taking a deep breath as she got to her feet. "And speaking of which, I think it's time to give Greenie her wakeup call!"

"Are you gonna use that provoker you had last time?" Shinji wondered as he stood as well.

"Nope!" Misato answered, grinning brightly as she balled up her fists. "Trust me, Shinji-kun, after being stuck in NERV all this time, I've got plenty of pent-up anger just waiting to go! I just need to stimulate some high-octane adrenaline to motivate it!" Giving Shinji a concerned look, she added, "You better get back, though. I don't want to take any chances."

"Hey, what about me?" the driver protested, looking through the partition.

"What are you complaining about? You've got this nice, thick wall between us!" Misato grinned. "Now I suggest you shut up before I get pissed with you! Because you _really _don't want me pissed at you, got it?" Effectively silenced, the driver could only watch as Misato cast one final look at her ward. "Wish me luck, Shinji-kun."

Blinking once, Shinji then nodded. "Good luck, Misato. To…both of you."

With a nervous, yet appreciative nod, Misato faced the wall, looking at the dull reflection of herself in the metal. "Okay, you lime-green bitch! Time to come out and do some good for a change!" And with that, the Major fired off a punch that cracked upon the metal. She then cried out in pain, withdrawing her fist and shaking it.

"Misato!" Shinji cried out, even as his guardian snarled. Green sparking in her eyes.

"Don't distract me, Shinji!" Misato growled before firing off another punch. Another noise of pain escaped her lips, this one with a more animalistic sound to it, the Major's breathing deep and hateful. "Alright…once more…with feeling!" And Misato Katsuragi slammed her fist into the metal with all her strength, only to fall over in pain as she clenched her wounded hand.

"Misato!" Shinji gaped, rushing over to her even as she rolled about on the floor. Only to be stopped when she looked up at him, with eyes glowing a brilliant green. Green that spilled into her blood, causing massive growths of muscle to bulge from her body, bones to crack as they grew. Snarls of hatred tearing free of Misato's lips as her body sought and found She-Hulk's dimensions, causing several provocative rips to appear in her medical gown.

Finally, the transformation complete, She-Hulk got to her feet, roaring in triumph as she flexed her massive muscles. With Shinji standing before her in awe, completely unafraid.

A few seconds passed as Shinji just looked into the emerald irises of the transformed woman, taking in every detail of her. Then he remembered why he was there. That he had a job to do as well. "Misato, please listen to me!" Shinji spoke up, causing the beast-woman to look more intently at him. "Rei, Father, and another girl have been captured by those creeps we told you about! Remember? The Grey Gargoyle and Rhino?"

"Bad men," She-Hulk rumbled, her lips drawn into a snarl. She then cocked her head at the boy in a questioning manner. "Shinji want She-Hulk smash bad men?"

_Huh? _Shinji started, taken by surprise. In the past, She-Hulk had only used one or two words at any one time. Her latest statement was almost a sentence!

Shaking himself from his stupor, Shinji nodded. "That's right, I need you to smash the bad men, and save Rei, Father, and that woman they captured," he told her. "And when you're done with that…I need you to…come back to me. Please?"

The green she-beast nodded while a low snarl rumbled in her throat. "She-Hulk will come back to Shinji," she told him. She then looked about the APV. "Where bad men? Where Rei and others?"

"This way. I'll show you," Shinji told her as he moved towards the exit. Still off-balance by She-Hulk's relative chattiness, but working with it, nonetheless. Opening the doors of the APV, the boy gestured for She-Hulk to follow as he carefully stepped down to the streets.

Once again in awe that such a powerful being would obey him so unquestioningly, Shinji watched as She-Hulk looked about the sun-filled world outside the Geofront, sniffing the air as she moved about, her eyes following every move he made. With almost grim satisfaction, the boy pointed up at the roof of the target building. "There they are! Right up there!"

"Glad you could make it, green-stuff!" Rhino called out from his perch. "I was starting to think you'd chickened out or something!"

Growling hatefully as she locked gazes with Rhino, She-Hulk brought her arms down, roaring in defiance as Shinji eyed the two monsters above. "Ayanami! Father! Are you alright?"

Gendo never had the chance to reply, for the Grey Gargoyle threw up his hand and cut him off. "They are unhurt, little boy. Which is more than what can be said of you if you do not distance yourself from this place," the stone monstrosity replied. He then looked at his partner, who was cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "Well, Rhino, your playmate for the day has arrived! Quite the impressive specimen, eh?"

"She sure looks tough," Rhino agreed, nodding happily. "But let's see how tough she is when I'm done redecorating her face!" With a savage cry, the cybernetic man-beast rushed forward, leaping from the top of the ten-story building. Unsurprisingly, he landed squarely on his feet, the impact forming a large crater in the middle of the street.

"Shit!" the Section 2 agent at the wheel cried out, even as his partner hurriedly got back in the APV.

Wisps of steam hissing from the various joints of his armor, the Rhino stood up straight, a huge grin almost splitting his face as he took a step forward. And then another step. And another following that, even as he brought up his arms and gestured at himself. "C'mon, bitch! Show me what you got!"

That was all the incentive the green beast needed. "She-Hulk smash stupid horn man!" she snarled, leaping into full-out charge towards her enemy. Growling viciously, the Rhino ignited the ion boosters on his back, launching himself at his enemy. The two behemoths slammed into each other at full force, with She-Hulk taking the Rhino by the horn as he rocketed down the streets, ramming her into the side of a building.

* * *

"And the battle begins!" Grey Gargoyle chortled approvingly. He then looked at his former hostages. "I wish to thank all of you for your cooperation. I -!"

"A little less mouth, you creep!" Spirit cried out. The Grey Gargoyle cried out as the winged heroine grabbed him by the waist and hefted him over her head. "A bit of advice, jerk! The next time you take hostages, make sure you keep your hands on them! Or something like _this _might happen!"

Grunting in effort, Spirit jumped several feet up and tossed the Grey Gargoyle into the air. While light forming in her hand, she then launched a cross-blast at her adversary. The devastating bolt caught her enemy in the midriff, sending flakes of stone flying from the point of impact as the rock monster was sent flying away.

Looking back down at the roof, Spirit cried out, "Listen, you have to get to safety! Right now!"

"But what about that monster?" the woman asked.

"I'll take care of him!" Spirit assured them. "There's a NERV vehicle down on the street. They'll make sure you get out of here safely! Now go!"

"Commander, we should leave," Rei murmured, looking up at Gendo.

The Commander of NERV didn't respond right away. He just stood there for a time, glaring hatefully at Spirit. Pure malice beaming from his eyes as he finally moved away, following Rei and the woman to the fire escape.

_It must really piss you off, having me save your life, _Spirit thought sourly, making a note not to make a habit out of that. _I swear, Shinji must take after his mother. Those two are about as different as night and day!_

Spirit was then startled from her thoughts by the sound of an engine of some kind. Whipping about in mid-air, the teenaged defender saw the Grey Gargoyle return, his metallic, bat-like wings spread with razor-edges glinting in the sun's light.

"That was an impressive display of power, little girl," the Grey Gargoyle said. His body showing no sign that he had been hit. "But as you can see, it will take a good deal more than that to dispatch me."

"Yeah, I kinda figured it would," Spirit replied, forming another bolt of light in her hand. "But somehow, I doubt you're gonna be as tough without your big, ugly friend!"

"On the contrary, this is a perfect opportunity for me!" the Grey Gargoyle countered, bringing up his hands. Strange, coiled claws stretching out into daggers. "After all, my employers wish to see your death as well, Spirit. And when they get word that we have dispensed with two nuisances instead of one, they will be most pleased with me, eh?"

"So I'm just a nuisance to you, is that it?" Spirit growled, her eyes narrowed in hatred as she spread her AT-Field. "Fine, then! Let's see what your bosses think when this nuisance kicks your ass in!"

"Your funeral, little girl!" Grey Gargoyle snarled, flexing his wings and shooting towards her, even as Spirit launched another cross-blast at her enemy.

* * *

Author's Notes: She-Hulk versus Rhino! Spirit versus the Grey Gargoyle! There's going to be a whole lot of property damage by the time this is done! Please, read and review! And maybe check out some of my other stories while you're at it, please?

Now, let me take a moment to say that I normally don't like long chapters. They're a bit unwieldy and they take that much longer to edit, and sometimes when I'm tired I still don't get it right. But there was just so much I wanted to get done with this one, and the fallout from this is gonna be something else.

I've also been doing some reworking of the previous chapters of this story, most notably Chapter 2. Please, check it out.

On another front, I will soon be doing some heavy tweaking to "Vengeful Devil". I know that my own deep dislike for Asuka has sabotaging my own effectiveness there, and I apologize. The fact is, I have been working on writing out an outline of the NGE series, an outline I have been using to help increase the accuracy of my writing. For those of you who have read the latest chapter of "Lilith's Herald", and the last couple of "Treacherous Web", those are stories I have employed this method with.

The downside to this is having to watch all the episodes of NGE with a very deep eye, and going over every part of them, word for word. Now, I don't know about you, but I have my favorite episodes and my least favorite episodes, and I do have a tendency to mute or fast forward past the parts I don't like. But for this project I'm working on to work, I can't do that. And I have to rewind many scenes many times over, just to make sure I get them down right. Which means I can't mute Asuka, and I have to replay scenes like her being a brat in Unit 02 during the battle with the 6th Angel, or all when she takes such delight in kicking Shinji out of his room and that he's been tossed out of his home, or how she wastes all that time arguing with Rei when the 8th Angel attacks over and over again.

For someone who already dislikes Asuka, it has been like learning to hate her all over again. And when I've been called on it, even when I'm not intentionally bashing her, it's made my mood regarding the Red Devil even worse. Still, it's no excuse for my failure in this regard, and I apologize.

Now, in regards to the formation of the Teen Brigade in the previous chapter, this is actually a nod to the Golden Age of Marvel Comics. Rick Jones recruited a bunch of teenage ham radio operators, and they worked together, keeping track of the Hulk's movements, and even summoning help from the Fantastic Four when the Hulk went out of control. They were known as the Teen Brigade.

As for why I decided to use this in this story, it's quite simple. At one time, in the classic Marvel comics, Loki blocked one of the Teen Brigade's broadcasts from getting to the FF, and instead sent it in Thor's direction. Loki's plan was to use the Hulk to kill Thor, but it backfired because the message was accidentally received by three other heroes as well. Namely, Iron Man, Ant Man, and Wasp. And by the time it was all said and done, all five of the aforementioned heroes formed the first incarnation of the Avengers. Since it was one of the Teen Brigade's broadcasts that was partly responsible for this, I think they deserve a nod in this story.

Mike313, Maya's not dealing with her new job at all well. We'll be going into that in future chapters. And as you might recall, the member of SEELE who brought in Rhino was discussing as plan he had for dealing with Spirit, not She-Hulk. Thus, Rhino wasn't allowed to knock down any schools in this chapter. As for Asuka's being so stubborn, I have to figure that she feels that, as long as NERV is top dog, she's basically got it made. So anything that makes NERV look bad or reduces its authority is bad for her.

Major Mike, Commander Galos, the fate of Adam will have to remain one of life's little mysteries for now. Let's just say Gendo is scheming a big one this time, and leave it at that.

SM02, home alone with Asuka is truly beyond scary.

Whew! What a beast of a chapter! Time to relax with some omakes!

Omake 1

"Ayanami!" Shinji cried out as the others stared in awe. "Are you alright?"

As surprised as he had ever seen her, Rei soon focused on him. "Ikari-kun," she murmured gently. "I…appear to be well."

"Allow me to explain what has just happened. My body has been infused with a specially devised nano-virus, which is capable of rendering anything organic, and even certain inorganic materials as of stone. It is the presence of this virus in my body which is responsible for my…current appearance," the Grey Gargoyle explained, gesturing to himself. "As you can see, I am capable of transmitting this virus into anything I touch, thus rendering it stone as well. A very effective method of restraining one's victims, eh?"

Frowning dangerously, Fuyutsuki locked gazes with the Grey Gargoyle. "Assuming that is what happened, then I'm certain you would not mind reverting Commander Ikari as well."

"Ah, but I'm afraid I would," the Grey Gargoyle countered. "Your Commander is a bit too treacherous to allow any freedom. I would not be surprised to learn that he had some manner of tracking devices on his person that would allow you to find my companion and I. Something which, at present, I would prefer not happen." The stony being just stood there, looking at the NERV personnel mockingly, reveling in the silence. "However, that is not to say that I would be averse to returning your beloved Commander to normal, or to restoring him and this precious young maiden to your custody."

"Say, I have a question," Ritsuko started. "If you change Gendo back, can you leave just a part of his body as stone?"

"A part?" the Grey Gargoyle repeated blankly. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping you could leave his outdoor plumbing as stone," Ritsuko confessed. When the others there just stared at her, the scientist shrugged. "What? It's probably the hardest his toothpicks have been in his entire life! How he ever managed to father a child, I'll never know!"

_Wow. I sure hope I take after someone on Mother's side of the family, _Shinji thought.

Omake 2

Of all the things Spirit could have imagined the Grey Gargoyle saying, this hadn't even come close to being on the list. "What? she got out. "Y-you just…?"

"Why not? After all, it's not as if your appearance was unexpected by us, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle explained deviously. "Rest assured that we are more than capable of…dealing with you, should you decide to resort to violence as a way of solving your problems." His face splitting open into a deadly grin, revealing teeth that were as solid stone as the rest of his body. "And to be honest, it would please me to have you here."

"It would?" Spirit got out.

"Yeah. See, with all the excitement today, I wasn't able to have a big breakfast," Rhino explained. While Spirit just stood there, looking blankly at him.

* * *

"Okay. Just for the record, I have had some pretty embarrassing things happen to me, but this one tops them all!" Spirit complained as she gently landed on the roof, with several slender boxes in hand. "I'm a Superwoman of Eva, for crying out loud! Not a pizza delivery girl!"

"Hey, is it my fault trashing a city gives me an appetite?" Rhino wondered as he took the boxes in hand. "And there better not be anchovies on these!"

"No. No anchovies, jerk," Spirit grumbled. Watching as Rhino opened up the box and shoved half the pie in his face. Only to smile sadistically.

_I wonder how long it'll take him to figure out that I asked Misato to bake those pizzas? _Spirit wondered, waiting for the inevitable explosion.


	14. Warzone

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 14: Warzone

The sound of her heart pounding away was filling Rei's ears. Adrenaline and emotion were flooding her being as she raced down the stairs of the abandoned building. The events of this day having come quickly and chaotically, leaving the albino shaken.

Conflict was something Rei was unused to. For much of her life, she was given orders by Commander Ikari, and she would obey. The same held true with the battle with the Angels. She would do what she was told, knowing full well that even her death would not hinder the plans of her creator. For even if she died, she could easily be replaced.

But the events of this day were so beyond her experience that Rei realized that she was shaken. And badly. Things were happening that were so far out of line with her existence and Gendo's plans that she was unable to cope with them.

And she was not alone.

A quick glance at the face of Gendo Ikari was all it took to see the tension that lay there. The frustration, and even a hint of fear. All of these things unleashed because of things were happening which he had no control over.

The very idea of Gendo not being in control of something was an impossible notion for Rei. He had been in control of her, of _everything _her entire life.

And now, just like that, his control was gone. And all because of two people. Two very unusual people, it was true, but just two people, all the same.

Coming off on the landing, Rei was nearly knocked off her feet when someone collided with her from behind. Stumbling into a wall, the albino looked about for the source of the impact, and saw her fellow hostage. A woman, older than Rei, but younger than Gendo. A person whose face was filled with fear, was completely unrelated to NERV, and who had been caught up in this madness for no reason, except perhaps the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And was now in the throes of terror, looking wildly about for any avenue of escape as she flung herself forward.

Looking towards Gendo, her creator, Rei watched him. Followed his lead as he ran as well. In a much more controlled fashion, and yet was far from being in control.

Eventually, the three of them reached the ground level, where the woman once again paused, looking wildly about. "W-which way?" she asked, desperate for guidance. For reassurance.

Gendo didn't bother responding. He just picked a direction and kept moving, Rei following close behind. When the woman saw them moving, she followed, so overwhelmed that she did not question Gendo's lead. To her, any direction, any lead, was probably better than none.

Fortunately, Gendo's lead turned out to be correct. After passing by several empty rooms in the crumbling building, the three of them emerged onto the streets. The sight of the NERV APV, along with Shinji and the two agents within it, was one that sent waves of relief rippling through Rei's heart.

"Ayanami!" Shinji called out as the girl and the others ran up to the vehicle. Then, almost as an afterthought, he looked at the others present. "Father. And…"

"There's no time to waste here, 3rd Child," Gendo told him bluntly. "We have to get back to the Geofront as soon as possible. Driver!"

"Yes, sir!" spoke the agent at the wheel, giving a terse nod as he spoke.

"But…what about Mi- I mean, She-Hulk?" Shinji pleaded, eyeing the woman who had come up to them as well. "She's fighting that monster, the Rhino!"

"There's nothing we can do for her here," Gendo told him brusquely. "Our priority must be getting to the Geofront as quickly as possible!"

"Yes! We have to get out of here!" the woman pleaded desperately.

A protest forming on his face, Shinji then looked reluctantly at the other people there. And though Rei had often had trouble understanding the feelings of others, she had gotten to know Shinji better than most. She knew him to be caring, and while he was worried about Misato, and doubtlessly Spirit as well, he had also realized that they were capable of defending themselves.

The ordinary, unpowered people present there were far more vulnerable. Powerless in this battle of titans.

Shame and self-hatred writing themselves across his face, Shinji finally acceded. "Alright," he muttered. Watching as Gendo led the way into the back of the APV, quickly followed by the woman. Watching as Rei followed.

As the albino stepped up into the APV, she turned about, and saw as Shinji cast one final, reluctant look out into the air which held two flying figures, locked in desperate combat. At the city in which two giants were actively seeking each other's destruction. And finally looked at her, his face cold and controlled as he joined the people within the APV and closed the door.

Distraught as the albino was, Shinji's expression scared her even more.

* * *

She-Hulk was furious.

The stupid, ugly horn man Shinji had called the Rhino was running fast, plumes of energy spewing from his back, pushing him even faster. She had one hand wrapped about his horn, with her free arm coiled about his neck. Distantly feeling the impact of wall after wall as the Rhino drove her through them, vaguely aware of the air being filling with dust and debris. Dull memories of the girl known as Spirit being in danger, of Shinji wanting her to return to him, fluttered about in her primitive mind.

Her main focus, her entire world at that moment, was the small, ugly pink face of the Rhino, set amidst the metal plates of his armor. A face she dearly wanted to smash.

Bare, green feet digging furrows in the concrete, She-Hulk snarled her hatred as she sought some measure of leverage, some purchase. But the stupid, weak, worthless floor within the dilapidated buildings kept breaking painlessly beneath her. Adding to her frustration. Her rage.

"Well, I have to say this for ya, greenstuff! You sure can take a lot more than my standard date!" Rhino grinned mockingly. His charge finally carrying the two of them free of the building, and back into the streets of Tokyo-3. "But c'mon! Give me a fight! Make this job fun for me!"

Though she was unable to articulate it with words, She-Hulk very much wanted to oblige the Rhino. And when her feet found a rut in the street, one in which her leg sank into, she roared her hatred as she used her newfound leverage to flip the horned monster overhead. Grunting his surprise, the Rhino just looked helplessly at the green beast he had been sent to torment as his own momentum pulled her free of the hole her leg had worked itself into.

Retaining her hold on the Rhino's horn, She-Hulk snarled as she slammed him down to the ground, rearing back with her fist. Eager to smash his stupid little face in.

The Rhino's shoulder plates hissed open, revealing a series of white cylinders. With a burst of fire, two of them exploded forth, catching She-Hulk in the face. Fire, heat, the sound of thunder and scraps of metal filled the beast-woman's eyes, the light and sound hurting her. Causing her to scream in outrage as she shook her head, trying to clear her vision.

"Hey, not bad!" the Rhino chortled as She-Hulk's eyes cleared. The biomechanical horror rising to his feet once more. "Not even a scratch on ya! This might be fun after all!"

The gearlike rings about his wrists spinning to life, the Rhino grinned eagerly as he drove a massive fist into the green Amazon's face. The force of the impact against her jaw, followed by the grinding of the gears against her flesh, ripping the top of her gown apart. The blow was irritating, the noise produced by the machinery infuriating. A sensation that was worsened when the Rhino followed up with another punch, and then another.

"Whoo, tasty bod, bitch!" Rhino cackled as more and more cloth was torn to shreds. "But c'mon! Put 'em up! Show me what you've got!"

This final goad, on top of all the other spurs the Rhino had shot at her, was the all incentive the She-Hulk needed. With a howl of utmost fury, the beast-woman caught the Rhino's armored fist with her left hand. Metal groaning in protest as she squeezed it, she delighted in the shocked expression on the monster's face as she drew back her own right fist, and sent it flying squarely into the Rhino's armored chin.

Grunting in surprise, the Rhino shot up into the air, spinning wildly about as he flew up towards one of the many skyscrapers within Tokyo-3. A series of badly garbled curses escaping his lips before he finally crashed through the wall.

The fury of battle instilled in her blood, She-Hulk coiled her legs muscles, and propelled herself into the air. Shooting straight at the building she had just smashed the stupid horn man into, intent on making sure that he stayed smashed.

Her leap carrying her straight to the hole the Rhino had flown in through, the She-Hulk grunted hatefully as she searched for the armored beast within what appeared to be a small office. When the sound of rocks shifting about tickled her ears, she growled menacingly as she looked about, and saw another hole on the far side of the room. Rubble shifting about, she heard the sound of gears and servos working as the Rhino reappeared.

"Whew!" the Rhino grinned. "Lady, I gotta hand it to ya! When the bosses told me about you, I really wasn't sure I believed them! I mean, who'd a thunk a broad could hit that hard?" His annoying prattle causing the She-Hulk to grit her teeth menacingly, the armored man chuckled menacingly. "And I thought this was gonna be just another boring assignment!"

Once again, the Rhino's shoulder plates split open, spitting out another set of missiles. Having already been on the end of one such attack, the She-Hulk bellowed her rage. The air rippled with the force of her power, slamming into the missiles and ripping them apart in a storm of fire.

Leaping straight at her foe, the She-Hulk leapt forward, driving her knee right into the Rhino's face. She then followed up with a crushing blow to the face. The Rhino was sent smashing backwards through several rooms, but he soon recovered, firing his ion boosters to counter the force of the blow. Charging forward, the horned monstrosity once again tackled the She-Hulk, the beast-woman catching him by the horn as he wrapped his massive arms about her waist.

"Come on, Greenie! Let's take this outside!" the Rhino snarled, the sheer force of his acceleration carrying them out through another wall. With nothing but empty air beneath the both of them, the green and grey beasts grappled mid-air, grunts and snarls of exertion filling the air between them as they finally crashed into another skyscraper. Lacking sufficient momentum to penetrate the wall, they began to tumble down the side of the building, the Rhino using his ion boosters to control their movement.

Spinning about wildly, their feet digging grooves in the side of the building as they continued to battle, Rhino and She-Hulk continued to wrestle at each other, struggling to dominate this battle. Her mind consumed with rage and hatred, the green-skinned Amazon put great power and conviction into her struggles, but the Rhino's ion boosters gave him control of this battle. Pushing them for everything they worth, the horned man directed their full thrust in line with gravity's pull, the two combatants plummeting down to the streets like a pair of missiles.

Completely tangled together, the two beasts crashed into the concrete, sending shards of synthetic stone flying from the crater they created. There was silence for a time, until the rubble of the shattered street began to shift about, and a massive horn and a great, green fist rose into the sun.

"Man, Ikari sure built you to be tough, bitch!" Rhino growled as he unearthed himself.

Growling hatefully as she emerged, She-Hulk stared at her enemy. "Horn man can't hurt She-Hulk," the jade giantess snarled. "She-Hulk strongest one there is!"

"You ain't got no brains, green stuff! But that damned body sure makes up for it!" Rhino chortled, looking at the ragged remains of the medical gown that still hung about her. "C'mon! Let's do this! I gotta polish my horn after I'm done kicking that sweet butt of yours!"

Once again igniting his ion boosters, the Rhino charged in, pushing She-Hulk out of the crater. This time, the emerald savage was able to dig into the ground, and the two of them grappled at each other as the Rhino pushed forward. Using his motion to his advantage, the horned monster grabbed hold of She-Hulk's head, and was able to slam her down into the ground, the impact sending destructive shockwaves through the streets. The very field upon the two of them were battling crumbling from the intensity of their struggles.

Sneering at the Rhino's efforts, her rage growing exponentially and her strength growing alongside it, the She-Hulk grabbed hold of his wrists, and worked her legs up beneath him. Firing off a kick with the most powerful muscles of all, the green beast shot him up and off of her. Getting back to her feet, the beast-woman charged after the Rhino, and the two of them once again battled for supremacy.

* * *

Her wings flapping hard, Spirit strove to gain altitude, even as the mechanical wings of the Grey Gargoyle filled her ears. Sounds of chaos and destruction from a more distant place reverberating in her ears.

"Well, it sounds like the Rhino is enjoying himself to the fullest, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle commented. "And to think he was worried that this She-Hulk might not be able to provide him with suitable amusement!"

"Trust me, she's gonna do more than amuse him!" Spirit countered grimly. Ghosts of the pain she had suffered at Misato's mutated hands returning to her mind even as she looked down at her enemy. "If I were you, I'd be a bit more worried about myself!"

"My sentiments, exactly, Spirit!" Grey Gargoyle grinned wickedly. "You shall soon wish that you had abandoned your heroic efforts some time ago. Once I have left you battered and broken before me. Completely at my mercy."

Grimacing in revulsion, Spirit gathered up two spheres of power within her hands. "Sorry, pal! You're not my type!" the winged heroine declared, firing off a cross-blast at her stony antagonist.

Quickly dodging the destructive bolt, allowing it to split open one of the abandoned buildings below, the Grey Gargoyle chortled menacingly. "A good effort, but you are not the only one capable of ranged attacks, my dear!" the stone menace grated as he shot up towards her. Spirit countered with another cross-blast, but the Grey Gargoyle easily spun out of its way.

"My turn, little girl!" the Grey Gargoyle sneered. Coiled, metallic spikes then appeared from his wings, spikes which then launched directly at Spirit. The winged adventuress reacted instantly, raising her AT-Field while beating her wings, trying to get into a better position to counterattack.

Spirit soon realized that she was fortunate to have moved when she had, for the strange spikes tore through her AT-Field without resistance, and would have run her through had she not avoided them. Gasping at how close she had come, she then returned her attention to the source of the attack.

"Like my arsenal, little girl?" the Grey Gargoyle asked mockingly. "As you can well imagine, I was most appreciative of my employers providing me with weapons that can penetrate your AT-Field. Quite impressive, eh?"

Frowning at the realization that the level of danger had just gone up, Spirit looked hard at her enemy. "Maybe, but you'll run out of those things sooner or later!"

"Hmm, perhaps…but I can promise you this," the Grey Gargoyle sneered as he soared closer to his prey. "Even if that were to happen, you would most certainly not be alive to take advantage of such an occurrence!"

Gearing up to fire another cross-blast, Spirit's eyes widened in horror as the stone terror closed the span between the two of them. Giving another strong flap of her wings, the teenage heroine tried to distance herself from the Grey Gargoyle, only to find that his mechanical wings gave him speed superior to her own. His claws spread, the granite marauder swiped at the girl, slashing through her AT-Field and catching her across the arm.

"Argh!" Spirit growled, beating her wings as her adversary shot past her. Realizing that the Grey Gargoyle's speed came at the expense of maneuverability, the winged girl readied to fire at him. Only to gasp in horror as scales of stone began to spread from her wound.

"No!" Spirit cried out, using her free hand to grab at the ossifying flesh, screaming in greater pain as more bright red blood began to pour from the widening injury.

_Rei was right! This creep _can_ turn people to stone, just by touching them!_ Spirit thought rapidly, giving further groans of pain as she ripped away more and more skin. Once that last of the contaminated flesh was peeled away, the wound began to heal. Spirit didn't have time to watch this happen, for she looked up, and gasped as the Grey Gargoyle once again brought his claws to bear.

Folding her wings and diving, Spirit aimed for an alley below. _I can't let him get close! _the girl thought fearfully. _His weapons are designed to punch right through my AT-Field! And if he gets me bad enough, I'll turn into a statue and fall like a rock!_

The image of a solid stone version herself shattering upon the streets coming unbidden to her mind's eye, Spirit forced down the fear and pushed her wings for all they were worth. Her eyes darting wildly about as she scanned the buildings bordering the alley. Spying a broken window, the winged girl flung herself through it even as further spikes lashed out through the air.

Coming to her feet, Spirit gathered another sphere of hot white energy in her hand as she turned to look through the window. Waiting for the Grey Gargoyle to appear so she could give him a taste of her own power.

Then Spirit was sent sprawling as her ears were filled with sound of wood and plaster being shattered, moments before she was pelted with debris from above! Her eyes watering at the dust-filled air, the girl watched as a stony figure fell upon her. "I see you had no tactical training before embarking in this line of work, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle asked rhetorically as he grabbed hold of the girl's wing. "Unlike myself, of course!"

"Yeah, well, it's a good thing I'm a fast learner!" Spirit countered, performing a sweeping kick at her antagonist's leg. Driving his feet out from under, she then got back to her feet, firing a cross-blast squarely at the Grey Gargoyle.

Then, with a sinking heart, she realized that her wing was growing heavier. Looking over her shoulder, Spirit confirmed her dread suspicions as she saw that her wing was shifting from white to stone grey.

"A noble effort, girl, but all in vain!" the Grey Gargoyle sneered, charging towards her with his claws flashing in the dim light. "Soon, you will be a stone statue, and I'm afraid you won't be able to save yourself just by plucking out a few feathers!"

Gritting her teeth in hatred and anticipation, Spirit wrapped both her hands about the fossilizing appendage. "Then I'll just have to tear even more out!" she growled, only to howl in pain as she pulled with all her might. The transformed section of her wing breaking away from the normal flesh, sending blood spraying from the newly opened wound. Tears falling from her eyes as she glared at the enemy that had corrupted her very flesh and blood, Spirit did not wait for her body to regenerate. Even as a new wing was springing up from the gore, the costumed teenager swung the stone appendage like it was a baseball bat, catching the Grey Gargoyle right across the chest.

"Damn you!" Spirit growled, the ghost of her pain continuing to spur her fury to greater heights. She swung the petrified wing again and again, each strike backing the Grey Gargoyle even further away. "Do you have _any _idea _how much that hurt?"_

Raising the stone wing above her head, Spirit then threw it at the rocklike monster that had caused her so much pain, sending him flying into the next room. Not even waiting for him to recover, the girl brought her hands together, a massive sphere of light resolving into existence.

"I don't know what creeps sent you, and right now, I don't really care!" Spirit howled as the light grew in intensity. "Just tell them to stay out of Tokyo-3, or they'll get _this!_"

With this declaration, Spirit unleashed all of her pent-up energy in the form of a massive blast with fiery wings and a ring of power around the front. His eyes wide in terror, the Grey Gargoyle could do nothing to ward off the Halo Wave as it smashed into him. The destructive force of the blast carried the stone horror through wall after wall, leaving the dilapidated building shattered until he finally flew out the other side. Screaming in horror and pain, his stone hide back cracked, the stone horror flew down several blocks of Tokyo-3 before impacting upon the streets.

As the Grey Gargoyle scraped across the streets, sparks and flecks of stone spraying from his body before he finally ground to a halt. Several seconds passed as the dust settled from his flight, leaving him able to only groan dazedly as he brought his hand to his temple. _I certainly hope Rhino is doing better than I am, _the rock monster thought wearily as stars and comets flew past his eyes. _If not…our superiors will be rather unhappy, eh?_

* * *

_Okay! I knew this broad was supposed to be strong, but this is too much! _the Rhino growled inwardly as he charged at his prey. The decrepit neighborhood that was their battlefield sundered by the onslaught of the two beasts, the horned man employing his ion boosters in an effort to get within punching range of his adversary.

During the course of their battle, they had exchanged various attacks, with the Rhino's armor and She-Hulk's green hide absorbing the punishment without consequence. A battle that had carried them from neighborhood to neighborhood, leaving buildings shattered and streets in ruins.

After once again being sent flying by another massive punch from the green beast, the Rhino decided that enough was enough. Time to put his horn to work and put an end to all of the fun and games. The only problems was that the She-Hulk saw him coming, and decided it might be best to address her foe from a distance. So the green beast had decided to pick up the nearest available object and toss it at her enemy.

Which just happened to be an empty ten story building.

Watching in stunned disbelief, the Rhino had watched as She-Hulk dug her fingers into the concrete, taking hold of the building's foundation. A definite qualm taking form in his stomach as he watched the beast woman growl, concrete crumbling and steel twisting in her hands as she hauled the building up and above her head. Which was when the Rhino put on all the speed he could summon to work. Only to have the qualm grow three additional sizes as the green-skinned Amazon tossed the building like it was a feather.

His eyes bulging at the sight of untold tons of building setting to impact on top of him, the Rhino veered off to the side of the street, hugging the fronts of the buildings as the She-Hulk's impromptu projectile split like an overripe melon on the streets, filling the air with clouds of destruction.

"You're all mine now, Greenie!" the Rhino snarled, his horn glinting menacingly as he aim it squarely for the She-Hulk's exposed breasts.

The beast woman's response to this declaration was to roar hatefully, raising her fists overhead. She then brought them down on the streets, striking with all the savage might of her rage. All of Tokyo-3 felt her wrath as the entire city quaked, with the ground between her and the Rhino shattered. Unable to shut off his ion boosters in time, the Rhino was driven into the crevasse, and while it was certainly deep, it was narrow enough that he only sank up to his armpits.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, unable to believe his predicament as he scrabbled up to the side. Only to once again be stopped by a snarling she-beast out for his blood.

Her bare feet smacking against the concrete, exercising enough caution so as to avoid the same predicament her foe had fallen prey to, the She-Hulk rushed up to the Rhino. "Smash!" she cried out, once again raising her fists, swinging down with all her might. But the Rhino managed to shift about within the crevasse, falling forward and avoiding the blow while latching onto one of her wrists.

Grimacing at this, the savage beast-woman reacted impulsively, withdrawing her arm and pulling Rhino free of his predicament in the process. "Gotcha!" the armored monster grated as he regained his footing, and rewarded the She-Hulk with a punch to the jaw. Momentarily staggered by the blow, she quickly recovered and wrapped her brawny fingers about her foe's neck.

Claws of fear slowly squeezing his heart at the sound of armored plates crumpling, the Rhino tried to force his foe back, one hand finding its way to the beast-woman's chin, while his free hand tried to find another handhold to help him fight back. She-Hulk not dissuaded by his efforts, the horned monster finally was able to grab on with his other hand, pushing as hard as he could.

The result was astonishing. Not only did the She-Hulk stop trying to squeeze the very life from him, but her eyes went wide as her mouth fell open. A surprised grunt escaping her lips as she looked down. His mind emptied by his confusion, the Rhino followed her gaze. Only to gulp in fear as he saw that his hand was securely planted about something large, soft, and resilient.

Giving an involuntary squeeze to the green beast's jug, Rhino looked up again. And found his gaze met by two green irises, blazing with mindless fury. She-Hulk sucked in several hateful breaths, and to the Rhino's horror, each inhalation caused her body to pulse, her muscles expanding further right before his very eyes.

"Aw, damn…!" Rhino squeaked out. Just before a green fist fueled by a power far exceeding that of an N2 slammed into him. Reeling in pain, the horned marauder was sent tumbling down the streets, only to crash through the wall of one of the skyscrapers.

Dazed, his body on fire with pain, the Rhino lay in the darkness of the structure, gazing dizzily upwards. Somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, fully aware that it would be a very good idea to get to his feet and prepare himself in case the She-Hulk decided to give him further demonstrations of her ire. However, despite be aware of this and that his life was surely in jeopardy, knowing this and having enough strength of body and mind to act on this were two very different things. And there was a substantial distance between the two.

As he struggled to get up the gumption to do so, his body aching and his armor groaning in protest of every movement he made, the Rhino was then interrupted by heavy breathing as a set of large, bare feet padded into the enclosure. Feeling a chill run down his spine, the armored monster looked up to see an even more dangerous creature standing before him.

Losing no time, the She-Hulk stomped up to her adversary, and hefted him one by hand. Rearing back her free hand, she snarled hatefully before driving in a punch that left the Rhino reeling in agony. She punched him again and again, until the section of armor the savage she-beast was using as a handhold gave way. It remained in her hand while her latest punch lifted the Rhino through several layers of steel, his horn aiding in his ascent by tearing through the metal.

Ripping through one final ceiling, the Rhino collided with the one just above it, only to bounce off of it and fall back to the floor of that chamber. Rolling about the floor, the horned man groaned miserably.

"And I thought this was gonna be a fun, easy assignment?" the Rhino croaked miserably as he got to his feet, the room spinning about him. "Looks like it's time for me to drop the male chauvinist crap, and – huh?"

Blinking rapidly in the dark of the room, the Rhino's mouth fell open as he saw a series of objects surrounding him. Large, cylindrical shapes that ended in deadly tips pointed towards the ceiling. Each of the objects was marked with a serial number of some kind, and while the Rhino was no expert on such things, he knew a missile when he saw one. And he was presently surrounded by the harbingers of destruction.

_Oh, right. I remember now, _the Rhino thought in a garbled fashion. _Tokyo-3 is like this big fortress for fighting Angels. So of course it would be loaded with…_

In that instant, the normally dull thinking processes of the Rhino shifted into high gear. And something very much resembling a plan resolved into being. Just in time for the She-Hulk to leap through the hole in the floor.

Coming to her feet and flexing her muscle-laden arms, the She-Hulk roared her fury. Making it abundantly clear that, while she had no problem prancing about in overly revealing rags, she did not appreciate someone groping her breasts without permission. And she was definitely intent on giving the Rhino even further lessons on the subject.

Smiling wickedly, the Rhino glared at the green-skinned Amazon as she stomped closer. Wrapping his arms about one of the missiles, he grunted with effort as he wrenched the cylinder of death from its berth. Turning about to look at the She-Hulk, he as she surveyed the large object. Her primitive mind trying to make sense of the Rhino's actions.

_You're gonna be wishing that Ikari gave you bigger brains, Greenie!_ Rhino cackled within his own mind. Gently tossing the missile squarely into She-Hulk's arms, watching as something akin to realization sparked within her eyes. _Once up you're up on some cloud, giving God the same kinda hell you've been giving me!_

With that thought, the Rhino brought his entire remaining arsenal to bear, unleashing missiles and bullets throughout the entire room before igniting his ion boosters. Turning on his heel, the horned monster ripped through the wall and plunged into the air, even as a series of explosions rocked the building, the entire arsenal held within exploding.

Landing on his feet, a crater forming from the impact, the Rhino turned and looked up and smiled. The top of the entire skyscraper had exploded in a plume of fire and destruction, a massive cloud of smoke belching up into the air as debris were sent flying across the city.

"Ha! Take _that, _ya dumb broad!" the Rhino sneered, bringing up his fists in triumph. "Yeah, and maybe now, people won't think that the Rhino is so stupid! I -!"

Caught in mid-gloat, the Rhino's eyes popped out of their sockets as he spotted something. For a moment, he told himself that he couldn't possibly be seeing that which his eyes were telling him he was seeing. That it simply wasn't possible that he was seeing a large, completely nude woman falling towards him, her green skin darkly stained from the smoke. That she couldn't possibly land just a few feet away from him, resulting in a crater of her own.

Finally, all denial fell in the face of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, leaving the Rhino standing stock-still in horror. "No…" he moaned, unable to believe what he was seeing. He was wearing the most technologically advanced armor the world had ever produced, his body had been subjected to various forms of genetic manipulation and physiological enhancement. He was the end product of many years of research in the field human performance enhancement. And this day, both flesh and machine had been bludgeoned to the breaking point and beyond, while the green beast that had caused it lay before him. Apparently intact, and already getting to her feet.

Even as all hope abandoned him, the Rhino noticed something strange. She-Hulk was groaning as she staggered to her feet, her voice carrying the telltale sounds of pain as she shook her head miserably.

_Whew! It's about time you started showing some hurting!_ the Rhino thought, actually feeling some relief despite his ragged condition. A laugh working its way through to his mouth, he just stood there watching as the She-Hulk stood hunched over. _That's right, bitch! It's all over for you! I'm gonna -!_

She-Hulk then flung herself into the standing position, the sound of vertebrae cracking echoing through the city. A long sigh of relief escaping her lips as she wobbled on her feet, still shaking her head.

The Rhino's jaw immediately clattered to the ground. His mind was completely emptied by the realization that the She-Hulk had just taken the explosive might of God knew _how _many missiles, and all she had to show for it was a case of the dizzies and a kink in her back.

"No…" the Rhino groaned, taking an involuntary step forward. Another step followed as he shook his head, watching his foe recover. Not such much as scratch adorning the She-Hulk's body. Another step came as the Rhino thought of all the abuse he had been subjected to that day, his armor creaking badly even as he moved. "No!" he shouted more forcefully, increasing his pace, his fear giving way to frustration, and then finally, his mind was emptied by fury.

His ion boosters once again igniting, spitting out a blue inferno, the Rhino leapt forward. "I've had it with you, bitch!" he snarled as he rocketed forward, giving full power to the progressive lance that was his horn. Feeling the weapon's ultrasonic whir, the coiled metal glinted in the sun's light ominously as the Rhino bore down on his enemy. She-Hulk recovering her equilibrium just in time to watch the Rhino ram right into her, his horn catching her in the stomach.

Screeching in pain, She-Hulk was unable to stop herself as her enemy Rhino rammed her into another building, catching her against the wall. Roaring her outrage, the Amazonian destroyer brought her fists down on the Rhino's head, dislodging his horn. She then shoved the Rhino away, sending him to flop down on his back several meters distant.

Struggling to get back to his feet, the Rhino surveyed his prey, and for a moment was heartened by the sight of blood decorating the She-Hulk's twenty-four-pack abs. Then he frowned as three things occurred to him. One was that he had declared victory for himself a couple times already that day, only to be taken by surprise. The second was that the wound he had marked the She-Hulk with relatively small, and certainly not a serious impediment. The third was that the wound then closed up right before his eyes in less than a second, leaving only a trace of blood to be seen.

As far as the Rhino was concerned, this was the last straw. While not the brightest bulb in the bunch, he was smart enough to recognize when the time had come to cut his losses, and that time was now. Lighting up his ion boosters, the horned monster turned on his heel, and began to run for his life.

"Gargoyle, come in! It's me! Rhino!" the horned monster cried out over his comlink. Only to gulp as he heard a large impact behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw She-Hulk behind him, coming down in another crater, only to gather herself and leap again. She soon flew out of his field of vision, but the Rhino knew enough to realize that altering his course might be a good idea.

Turning right down the streets, the Rhino was interrupted by his comlink crackling with a response. "Grey Gargoyle here, Rhino. Dare I hope that you are meeting with greater success than I have been enjoying?"

"Oh, I wish!" the Rhino answered, wincing at the sound of another impact. "I've been giving that bitch everything I've got, and she ain't even close to calling it quits! She's after me right now!"

"You can't hide from She-Hulk!" the savage she-beast roared in a guttural, wrathful voice.

"Yes, so I can hear!" the Grey Gargoyle commented. "And Spirit has also proven to be…unexpectedly resilient."

"Aw, damn!" Rhino grumbled, thinking of the frail wisp of a girl he had seen on the roof. The fact that she was apparently giving his partner such a hard time did not make him feel good. "Since when did broads get so tough, anyway?"

"In any case, I am not yet prepared to wave the white flag of surrender," the Grey Gargoyle informed his partner. "How fortunate I was able to put a backup plan in place, eh? In case we met with…unexpected resistance."

"Oh, right," the Rhino muttered. Backup plans were a good thing to have, and they usually involved the tried and true traditional methods of the field. Hostages, extortion, threats, fun stuff like that. Then he frowned unhappily. "Are you sure the boys can find the targets?"

"Easily," the Grey Gargoyle informed his partner. "Don't forget that my touch has some very…unique properties, eh?"

Rhino snorted knowingly. He was fully aware of what the Grey Gargoyle meant. How even after it was destroyed, his nano-virus remained within the bloodstream of his victims for a long time afterwards. And emitted a highly unique and narrow energy signature. Almost impossible to detect unless you knew what you were looking for, but easy as hell to trace once found.

Wincing as another penetrating roar shot through his consciousness, the Rhino picked up his pace. "Just tell me where to go already! I've got better things to do today than die!" the horned man growled. When the comlink clicked off, the Rhino shook his head unhappily. "Damn! I can practically hear that girl Spirit laughing her ass off right now!"

* * *

"Can't this thing go any faster?" the young woman asked fearfully. Rubbing her own arms as she looked at the other occupants of the APV.

Shinji just looked at the poor lady sympathetically. She was clearly scared out of her mind, and with good reason. "Oh, don't worry, miss. We're just a couple blocks away from the Geofront," the boy informed her brightly. "We'll be okay, uh…"

Blinking, the young woman nodded at the boy. "The name's Junko," she told him meekly. "Junko Marishima."

"Oh. Um…nice to meet you, Junko," Shinji murmured meekly. The woman sitting before him had a very plain appearance. A face that was just a face, the kind of person who wouldn't stick out even in an empty room, and everything else about her was average. "I really am…sorry about everything that's happened today. Really."

A wistful smile ghosting her lips, Junko shook her head. "Not as sorry as I am, I'll bet," she muttered, shaking her head as she darted a glance out of the window. Then she sighed wearily. "Look, I'm – I'm sorry to be like this, but -!"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Shinji replied earnestly. "I mean…anybody would scared after something like this. Right, Ayanami?"

"Yes," Rei spoke. Displaying not even a whiff of fear, while Gendo sat right next to her, his arms folded across his chest.

_Okay. I…guess that's not such a good example, _Shinji thought ruefully, a drop of sweat appearing on his brow.

Clearing his throat as he tried to salvage the situation, Shinji looked at the two females occupying the APV. "Anyway, we're all alive, right?" he said. "And we'll be safe soon. We just have to -!"

Shinji's next word was obliterated by the sound of a tire exploding. The APV gave a sickening lurch as the driver spun the wheel about. "Hang on!" the other agent called out, following his own advice as he grabbed hold of the dash.

Crying out in terror, Junko grabbed hold of her seat as the transport vehicle ground to a halt. Shinji and Rei did their best to stabilize themselves, while Gendo looked out the windows. Already searching for some clue as to what was happening.

"Oh, god! We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're -!" Junko cried out, holding up her arms before her face.

"Be silent and quit that sniveling," Gendo muttered as he got to his feet. While Shinji directed a disdainful glance at his father, the elder Ikari directed his attention to the driver. "What happened? Did the tire just blow out."

"I don't think so, sir," the agent at the wheel replied grimly. "We've got company."

Before he had a chance to ask what the agent meant, a Shinji flinched at the sound of Junko gasping in terror. Looking at the fearful woman, the boy then followed her gaze to the window, only to have his eyes balloon out of their sockets. Just outside the window, several men in black garments were surrounding the APV. Each of them was in a battle-ready stance and cradled a machine gun, which was aimed at the vehicle.

Feeling a wave of fear washing over his skin, Shinji looked at the others. "What now?" the boy asked, his face begging for an answer.

Several moments passed before the boy was answered. "Get Captain Chiron on the line," Gendo ordered. "Tell him to dispatch every agent he has to this location. Have them fully armed and ready to engage the hostiles."

"They're gonna kill us…" Junko whimpered, her entire body trembling like a leaf.

"No," Gendo rumbled, his eyes slits set against his face. "They aren't here to kill us. Just to make sure we don't go anywhere for a while." When the others there looked at him, the Commander of NERV growled deep within his throat. "I'm sure they're holding us here…for others to deal with."

Her face falling with fear, Junko let go a whine as Shinji blanched. Though he was no tactical expert, the boy knew what his father meant. And what was soon to come.

Even as this dread thought filled his mind, another sound penetrated Shinji's ears. A mechanical roar that he instantly recognized, sending the boy's heart clear into his throat, even before the tramp of doom became clear as well. Before anyone could react, the side of the APV was ripped open as a massive horn of coiled metal burst through the side. The entire vehicle shifted to its side, the wheels crumpling beneath it as the occupants cried out.

As everyone fell to the floor, Shinji felt a wave of disorientation take him, the boy looking wonderingly about as he tried to make sense of everything. His attention was then riveted by a groan of intense pain. Blinking rapidly, Shinji searched for the source of the groans, only to gasp as he saw Gendo lying on his side, cradling his right arm. Examining the long gash that had been torn in both the fabric of his uniform and in his flesh and blood.

"Father!" the boy cried out. Before another word could escape his lips, two sets of fingers also tore through the side of the armored vehicle. While Junko was screaming in terror, the Rhino issued a grunt of effort before ripping open the vehicle, and glaring hatefully at its occupants.

"Come here, you!" the Rhino snarled, reaching in with his massive hands to snag both Shinji and Rei. The two children struggled in vain to escape, only to be lifted into the air and dangled before the biomechanical monstrosity's face. "That's right, little girl! You're back on hostage duty again!"

"Let her go!" Shinji cried out, staring daggers at the monster that dangled him about, leaving him kicking about at thin air. Utterly powerless to defend himself or the girl he considered to be his friend.

"Hey there, kiddo!" the Rhino grinned, gladly shaking Shinji about. His smile deepening at the expression of helplessness that tinged the boy's features. "Damn, I'm sure glad to be seeing you right now! And you know something else? I'm betting that that big, green lady friend of yours will be even happier!"

Sucking in a quick breath, Shinji continued to hang there. His arm aching from all the weight that was being placed on it, not to mention from the pressure the Rhino's grasp was subjecting him to. But his pain was nothing compared to the anger and concern welling up within him. "Where is she?" Shinji demanded, his young voice quaking beneath his fury. "If you've hurt her -!"

"Relax, kid! The green lady's okay!" the Rhino muttered bitterly. To Shinji's surprise, the tone of the horned man's voice made him think of Asuka, of how she had reacted after the failed first battle with the 7th Angel. The humiliation, the frustration that had been plain in the redhead's very being, these things were all seen in the Rhino's face, were heard in his voice.

Then Shinji looked more carefully at the Rhino. At the condition of his armor, and the swelling mounds on his face. Knowing the face of a defeated man when he saw it, the boy couldn't help but smile. _Misato, you're incredible…_

Then he heard a familiar roar off in the distance. A roar that made the smile on Shinji's face deepen, taking on an almost sadistic caste. "That sounds like her right now," the boy said. Savoring the dark fear that shadowed the Rhino's face. The knowledge that this monster was afraid almost taking away the pain and fear inherent in his situation.

"Yeah, and you're gonna be right here to help me greet her!" the Rhino snarled as a familiar figure was seen leaping across the skyline. Falling out of sight, only to reappear once again until she finally impacted upon the street they were in. A crater forming as the green she-beast glared at them, her eyes boring wrathfully into the Rhino's tiny orbs.

"Oh, no! That thing's back as well?" Junko shrilled, even as the troops surrounding the shattered APV backed away, noises of fear escaping them.

_What? _Shinji couldn't help but think at this. The thought of someone referring to his Misato as a _thing…_

Then She-Hulk flexed her arms, roaring her fury down the streets before she began stomping towards the Rhino. As she moved forward, Shinji felt twin waves of relief and embarrassment hit him at once. On the one hand, Misato was now completely nude, save for a layer of grime that completely failed to hide her ample curves and luscious figure. A figure that had the boy's cheeks coloring somewhat. However, this sensation was vastly overpowered by the fact that there wasn't any sign of injury to her. No sign that she was hurt, or anything other than supremely pissed off.

"Hey, hold it right there, ya dumb, green bitch!" the Rhino growled, dangling the two children before him. Both Shinji and Rei letting out noises of discomfort as they swung about helplessly from the horned monster's merciless grip. "You see these kids here? Well, one more step, and I pop them open like a couple cans of soda!"

Though Shinji wasn't sure if She-Hulk understood the exact meaning of the Rhino's words, it was quite obvious that she comprehended the tone with which they were spoken. Halting her forward trek, the savage she-beast narrowed her eyes, a low growl echoing in her throat. "Let Shinji and Rei go, horn man!" she snarled, her words clumsy but filled with menace. "Let go now!"

"Naw, I don't think I will!" the Rhino told her mockingly. "In fact, I think these little twerps and I are gonna be going on a little road trip!" When She-Hulk growled hatefully, her fists tightening, the armored obscenity chuckled at her helplessness. "And if you know what's good for these two, you ain't gonna be following me! Got it?"

Her features twisting with further hatred, She-Hulk snorted and looked up in surprise. The change in the beast-woman's posture taking the Rhino by surprise. Then a voice Shinji didn't recognize was heard. "Look out!" someone cried. When the Rhino turned to see what was going on, the boy gasped as he watched Spirit descend upon the ruined APV. The winged heroine came to stand before both Gendo and Junko, spreading her wings defiantly.

"You're back!" Junko cried, practically swooning in relief. Only to once again freeze as the commandos surrounding the APV brought their weapons to bear. "Please, you have to save us!"

"Don't worry, I will," Spirit assured the woman. Then she shot a cocky grin at the elder Ikari before addressing the commandoes. "Well, boys? Are you feeling lucky?" As winged adventuress spoke, she raised her AT-Field, and formed a ball of energy in her hand, gesturing at the aggressors. Daring them to try and attack.

Apparently, none of them were feeling particularly lucky. It was bad enough having She-Hulk nearby, a fair distance away and with about half a ton of Rhino between them and her. Having another superwoman standing even closer by, with no protective barriers separating her from them as well was a situation somewhat outside their pay grade. Each and every one of the commandos began to back away, only to break into a flat-out retreat.

"Hey, get back here!" the Rhino ordered. His words fell on deaf ears, however, and soon there was no sign of the troops that had once supported him. Rumbling in disgust, the biomechanical beast shot an accusatory look at the winged girl that had frightened away his forces. "I don't believe this! What's going on here? How'd you find me, anyway?"

"Let me give you a piece of advice, jerk," Spirit called out, her crimson eyes sparking beneath her mask. "The next time you want to take hostages, don't make such a scene of it. I heard you running around down here a couple blocks away!" Scowling hideously, the Rhino glared as the winged girl's lips curled laughingly. "So…did you manage to knock She-Hulk down with that one punch yet? Or are you still having fun playing with her?"

"Hey, watch it, bitch! Unless you want to see me turn these little brats into chunky salsa!" the Rhino grated, shaking the two Children about in his hands. "And don't think that I won't do it, because I will!"

Her mouth twisting about as she examined her foe, Spirit finally shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Not unless you're even dumber than I thought!"

"What'd you just say?" Rhino demanded.

"You see, I watch plenty of crime dramas and anime on TV, and I've seen plenty of scenes just like this," Spirit explained slowly, her tone making it abundantly clear what she thought of the Rhino's intellectual capacity. "Bad guy gets in a bad spot, so he grabs a hostage or two, and starts making demands for his escape. And if he doesn't get his way, he threatens to kill the hostages. Just like you're doing right now." Taking a moment to shake her head derisively as her line of thought sank in, the Angelic heroine looked at the mangled Rhino. "However, there's just a few problems with that idea."

"Oh, yeah?" the Rhino sneered. "What kinda problems?"

"Well, where do I begin?" Spirit started, rolling her eyes up towards the sky. "For starters, there's the fact that, if you kill the hostages, then you have nothing to stop She-Hulk and I from tearing you apart. Especially since she's already done a pretty good job of that already." Practically seeing how hard his masked friend had to fight to keep from laughing, Shinji found his own restraint challenged. "And do you honestly think that NERV will actually allow you to escape with a couple of Eva pilots? Do you?"

"Well, it's not like I was planning on keeping 'em," Rhino retorted, some of his bravado slipping away. Then he reinforced it with even more ferocity. "Anyway, the way I see, that's even more reason for them to want these punks back in one piece. After all…without them, those oversized hunks of tin are useless, right?"

"Which brings us to problem number three. Namely, where are you planning to go from here, anyway?" Spirit asked reasonably. "I mean, look at you! You can't exactly fade into a crowd and disappear! And how do you expect to escape satellite detection?" His tiny eyes blinking as these cold, hard facts pounded into his armored skull, the Rhino could only stand there as the winged girl concluded her lecture. "Face it, jerk. You've lost this round. All you can really do is make things worse for yourself. Now, maybe if you set those kids down now, we might be able to get She-Hulk to let you off with just a light beating."

Time passed silently as the two superwomen gazed at the Rhino, who was slowly collapsing beneath Spirit's logic and the sound of She-Hulk cracking her knuckles. A silence that was finally broken for the Rhino and his two captives as his comlink came online again.

"Ah, Rhino!" came a mocking voice. "I see you've gotten yourself into quite the predicament, eh?"

"Gargoyle! Where the hell are you, anyway?" the Rhino demanded, fear and anger mixed in his roar. "Listen, I've got the hostages, but I've got Spirit and She-Hulk on my case and the troops cut out on me! I need backup, and I mean right freakin' _now!"_ To the surprise of both Shinji and his captor, the response that the Rhino got was a low, mocking laugh. His features contorting with annoyance, the horned man growled, "Hey! This isn't funny!"

"Oh, but is very funny indeed. The fact that you still haven't figured out the role you have just played is quite amusing for me," the Grey Gargoyle laughed. "Truly, you were not brought into the organization on the weight of your intellectual properties."

"W-what are you talking about?" the Rhino demanded, his veneer of toughness crumbling like his armor.

"Well, to be very blunt about it, my good comrade, the reason I sent you on that fool's errand was so that you would attract the attention of our foes. The one thing you have always been very good at," the Grey Gargoyle went on. "Which is why it is you who presently stands surrounded and alone, instead of me."

His eyes shifting about wildly in their sockets, the Rhino flushed with rage. "Hey, what's the deal here? Where the hell are you, anyway?"

"Me? I am presently several miles distant from Tokyo-3, and all thanks to you and our troops providing NERV with such an effective diversion," the Grey Gargoyle explained mockingly. "I must thank you, my dear partner. I never could have made it without you."

His mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, the Rhino then shook his head before regaining himself. "B-but what about me? What am I supposed to do here?"

"You?" the Grey Gargoyle asked. "You, my dear partner, are about to die a gloriously spectacular death, courtesy of the self-destruct mechanism built into your armor."

A dread chill falling on Shinji, the boy was then jerked about in the Rhino's grip as the monster's armor crackled and groaned before finally going limp, sending him to fall to his knees. Shinji then tumbled on the streets, recovering in time to see Rei suffer a similar fate. Then the boy's attention was drawn by the strangled cry of the Rhino, and more importantly, the expression of horror on his face.

The expression of abandonment, of betrayal. And of absolute powerlessness.

"No! _No!" _the Rhino screamed as the horror of it all fell down upon him. His armor surging with electricity, sending agony screaming through the horned man's body, sparks snapping at anything that happened to be close. _"You can't do this to me!"_

"I'm afraid I just did, my good friend. Let us hope that you are more impressive in the next life than you were in this one, eh?" the Grey Gargoyle cackled. "I so look forward to working with your…replacement."

As this last goad sent the Rhino screaming, Shinji recovered enough to look towards She-Hulk. "Misato!Hurry! The Rhino's armor is gonna explode any second!" She gave a nod and a grunt in answer as she rushed up to them.

"Here, I'll help!" Spirit called out. When Shinji turned to look, he saw the winged girl flutter down beside him, a look of grim determination on her face.

"But you can't touch him!" Shinji protested, gesturing at the electrical arcs surrounding the Rhino's body.

"Maybe not, but I can still shield the rest of you!" Spirit informed him. "Now get back! I don't know how long we have until this thing goes!"

Standing helplessly as he looked at his masked friend, Shinji felt a hand wrapped around his arm. "Ikari-kun, come," Rei murmured when Shinji turned to look at her. "There is nothing we can do."

Though Shinji knew the albino to be right, he still felt his stomach churning at his helplessness. His utter and absolute powerlessness in this battle that could only be fought and won by the titans surrounding him. When this feeling forced him to look at the superwomen, his mournful gaze was met by Spirit's kindly smile and She-Hulk's own concerned expression.

"Shinji, Rei, go," She-Hulk rumbled. "No get hurt. Go."

This last bit of incentive being all he needed, Shinji nodded and allowed Rei to escort him away. As the two children ran, the boy looked over his shoulder. Spirit had already spread her AT-Field, which was visible as the sparks of electricity landed upon it, even as She-Hulk went to work. The jade giantess snarled as she tore apart chunks of metal and circuitry, the electricity insufficient to even annoy her bare hands. She ripped apart the armor plating with impossible ease, the sound of metal screeching in protest merging with the Rhino's own agonized cries.

Finally, She-Hulk held up a large cylinder in her hands, one that shone with the intensity of the sun on a cloudless day, whose power sent bolts of light running up and down her body. Giving the object of doom a disgusted snort, she then reared back, and threw it high up into the sky. Tumbling about amidst the blue, Shinji soon lost sight of it, until it finally split the sky apart with a savage explosion that blinded everyone there, filling their ears with thunder.

As the light and destruction finally subsided, allowing everyone there to open their eyes once more, Shinji watched as She-Hulk roared her fury, her intense dislike of overpowering lights and sound on full display. This was followed by the Rhino grumbling, "You said a mouthful, Greenie." When the green beast turned about, she looked disdainfully at the monster whose life she had just saved. "Damn. If I ever get my hands on that stone freak, I'll…!"

"Right now, I don't think you're much shape to make threats, jerk," Spirit sniffed, giving Rhino a kick to his side.

"Stupid horn man," She-Hulk grunted, squinting at her now-powerless opponent. His armor shattered, and his horn rolling about beside him.

"Hmph. Can't exactly argue with ya there, lady," the Rhino muttered, his voice as broken and defeated as the rest of him.

As She-Hulk moved away from the Rhino, Shinji couldn't help but gaze upon her. The relief he felt at her triumph and survival all but palpable as the woman within the monster looked down at him, feeling no shame at looking at her nude form. And doing nothing to resist when the green woman smiled before crouching to pick him up, pressing his body against her own. Smiling as he wrapped his arms about her neck, feeling his pale, pink skin caressed by the soft yet strong green flesh of this woman who had become his hero.

* * *

"Shinji-kun…" She-Hulk growled affectionately as she drew the boy against her in a massive bear hug, cooing and bubbling happily as she caressed his cheek with her own. Paying absolutely no heed to the fact that her massive breasts were sandwiching Shinji.

A weary, exasperated sigh rattling about in her throat, Spirit could only shake her head in dismay. _I don't believe this! _came the annoyed voice of Hikari Horaki, the mentality of the prim and proper class representative lending a frown to her face as she watched the unabashed display of affection.

For a moment, Spirit considered commenting on whether or not the two of them were living in sin, but then decided against it. If there was one she had learned from the time she had battled with She-Hulk, it was that you never argue with giant, green women. Not if you wanted to keep all your limbs in place.

Looking away from the two of them, Spirit quickly surveyed the rest of the people there. Crimson eyes met crimson eyes as the winged girl looked at Rei. "Are you alright?"

"I…am apparently uninjured," Rei explained, myriad emotions flitting about mercurial behind her normally placid expression. "And you?"

"I've had better days. And less painful ones," Spirit confessed, grimacing at the memories of that day. "That Grey Gargoyle creep was more annoying than an Angel!"

"The effect of his touch was…disturbing," Rei confessed. The memory of her own stone transformation clear in her eyes.

_I just hope that there aren't any nasty side effects that my healing powers can't handle, _Spirit thought to herself. The muted fears of her body's potential instability still echoing about in her mind. _Maybe I'll ask Shinji about it later, after Rei and the others get checked out for it._

Satisfied that the albino was all right for the time, Spirit fluttered away from Rei to land near the occupants of the shattered APV. "What about you? Do any of you need any help?"

"No," Gendo growled, fire spitting from his eyes as he glared at Spirit. Somehow managing to come off as being cool and in command despite how he was cradling his right arm, blood having seeped out from between his fingers. "We are perfectly capable of dealing with this situation without the interference of some…vigilante showboater."

Her expression souring as Gendo's words made her sound like she was a used lump of gum that had somehow wound up on the bottom of his shoe, Spirit simply stood and watched as NERV's Commander stomped past her, groaning in pain as the Section 2 agents that had been in the front of the vehicle fell in line behind him. "Okay, fine. I'll be sure to keep that in mind the next time some whacko shows up and kidnaps you," the winged girl sneered. Though she was sure Gendo had heard this, he gave no indication of it as he continued onward.

_Shinji had to have been adopted. That's the only explanation, _Spirit thought ruefully. _Well, either that, or Gendo is his stepfather._

The winged girl was brought back to the present by someone coming up to her. Looking up, Spirit saw the woman hostage right before her, her hands clasped together as her strained face beamed with gratitude. "Well, I don't care what he says, but thank you! Thank you for saving me!"

A bit embarrassed, Spirit could only do one thing. Cover it up with the persona of a carefree teenage superhero. "Hey, it's not problem," the Angelic adventuress shrugged. "It's all in the job description. Saving lives, fighting horrible monsters, that sort of thing."

Nodding shakily, the woman then frowned as she looked away. "Um, speaking of monsters…what about her?" With a definite frown, Spirit looked over at where She-Hulk was still snuggling and cuddling the boy like she didn't have a care in the world. "Don't you think you should do something about that…thing?"

_Like what? _Spirit thought incredulously. _Drop a planet on her head and hope it doesn't just piss her off? _

Aloud, the winged girl shook her head. "No, she's okay," she explained, much to the woman's surprise. Then Spirit curled the corner of her lip in a wry fashion. "Just don't mess with that kid she's got with her, or she'll go clear through the roof. Or punt you through it!"

"That little boy?" the woman murmured, only to jump fearfully as the She-Hulk growled. A quick look revealed that Gendo and his agents were right in front of her and Shinji, with the green beast cradling the boy away from his father, a fierce, protective snarl on her face.

A snarl that said, 'Stay away from him! He's _mine!_'

* * *

There were very few times when Shinji could allow himself to be happy. This was something that arose chiefly from leading a life that was mostly devoid of any form of happiness for ten years. A life in which he was held away from the world, with casual acquaintances from school being the closest thing he had to friends. What few people he felt truly close to vanishing from his world, to move somewhere or just plain disappear. Over time, the boy had eventually stopped trying to be happy, for he knew the instant he enjoyed some measure of happiness, something would happen and take it away. Leaving him even further in the depths of misery.

But at the moment, Shinji surrendered himself to the pleasure of a warm embrace and gentle skin against his body. To the unabashed love that was being showered upon him by the primal manifestation of Misato's soul. And once again felt reassurance in the knowledge that someone truly cared for him. Wanted him in her life, to protect him and care for him.

It was wonderful beyond description. A wonderful that filled his eyes with tears as Shinji buried his face in She-Hulk's neck, letting her warmth take him away.

Only to have reality intrude once more, in the form of the voice of his father. "3rd Child," Gendo spoke, his voice terse with an undercurrent of pain.

When the She-Hulk reacted to Gendo's presence by snarling, holding Shinji up and away from him, the boy gasped. "No, Misato! Its okay, its okay!" he spoke as soothingly as he could manage. "It's Commander Ikari, remember? My father?"

The green woman snorted disbelievingly. "Ugly bastard man," she rumbled, her emerald eyes sparking with hate.

With these words, the eyes of Shinji and the Section 2 agents flew open, and to no small wonder. While the opinion of Gendo was a painfully open and dirty secret, nobody would dare make any negative commentary about the Commander of NERV while he was present. And nobody, but _nobody _would call him an 'ugly bastard man' right to his face.

_I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Misato never…liked Father at all, _Shinji thought, recalling the outrage she had displayed when Gendo refused to even allow him to live in the same home. This did nothing to take away from his shock that Misato, even a _part _of Misato, would be so blatantly disrespectful of him.

Reigning in his shock, the boy surveyed Gendo's face for any sign of damage, only to find no emotion in his father's face. Stuttering noises escaping his lips, Shinji struggled to find something to say. Only to fall silent as he took note of the severity of his wound. "Are…you okay, Father?" the boy asked warily.

"I'm quite all right, 3rd Child," Gendo retorted, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "However, we have more important issues to deal with. I need you to get this…creature back to the Geofront immediately." Ignoring She-Hulk's menacing growl, the Commander looked about at the other Child present. "Rei, come here."

"Yes, sir," Rei answered in her usual quiet fashion.

"You and I will wait here," Gendo declared in the voice of control. "Section 2 has already deployed a team, and they should be arriving shortly. They will escort you back to base, while I oversee cleanup of this mess."

While Rei once again answered in an affirmative manner, Shinji frowned in thought. He already had a pretty good idea what his father meant by cleanup, especially in regards to the young woman standing next to Spirit. The one who had just had the bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and might even have overheard him when he had mistakenly blurted out Misato's name.

_Please, don't do it, Father, _Shinji pleaded within his own mind, his face falling in fear and suspicions. _Don't make her suffer as well…_

A wondering growl filled Shinji's ears, causing the boy to turn and see She-Hulk looking at him. Her face filled with worry, as if wondering what had happened to make the boy so sad. Sighing in response, the boy just looked at her, wanting nothing more than to surrender to her warmth and forget about the rest of the world.

But he couldn't. He had a job to do. To make sure that she stayed safe. And with a heavy heart that was made even heavier by the sound of engines drawing closer, Shinji finally looked at the woman who held him. "Alright, Misato. Let's go back."

She-Hulk's response was to frown. A low growl escaping her lips as she looked at the black cars and vans moving towards them. Rage and hatred returning to her.

Wincing at the memory of the last time that the beast-woman had been exposed to Section 2 and their bungling methodology, Shinji tried to affect damage control. "No, no, don't worry! They're not here to hurt you!" the boy murmured, even as She-Hulk growled warningly. "Now…let's just go back to…"

"She-Hulk go," the Amazonian destroyer rumbled as she started forward. Shinji gulped in surprise as she quickly picked up speed, his frail form held tightly but not painfully within her arms.

"W-wait! Misato! We have to get back to the Geofront!" the boy cried out in protest as the buildings blurred around them. The she-beast speeding about even faster than Misato could ever hope to drive her car, she then skipped into the air, her legs pedaling about before she landed. She then jumped once more, gaining even further altitude before landing again, only to give one final leap that sent both her and Shinji soaring into the sky.

* * *

"No!" Gendo growled, clenching his fists involuntarily as he watched She-Hulk disappear from sight.

The pain in his right arm neatly shelved in the back of his mind, Gendo watched as Section 2 agents flooded the area. Ready to heed his will as he tried to turn the disaster that this day had become into something he could control. Only to find that the elements that were these accidents of science and Angelic blood continuing to elude his reach and cast grains of sand in his face as they flaunted their ability to defy him.

As if he needed another reminder of this, Spirit called out, "Well, if you boys won't be needing me, I guess I'll be on my way." As Gendo turned to sneer at this winged nuisance that had given him so much grief, the girl looked at another unwitting problem, though a far more minor one. "Would you like me to give you a lift?"

"Oh, thanks, but no," the woman replied, a woman whose name had slipped Gendo's memory. "No offense, but I've had all the craziness I can take for one day. But thanks for the help."

"No problem," Spirit returned. Then she gave Gendo a look. A look of subtle warning before returning her attention to the young woman. "By the way, I never did catch your name."

"My name?" the woman repeated. Taken aback by this request, she finally shrugged and stuttered out, "Oh, it's Junko. Junko Marishima."

"Junko Marishima. Got it," Spirit nodded as she shot into the air with a single flap of her wings. "It was nice meeting you, though I sure wish this day had been as nice."

"Likewise!" Junko smiled, waving at the winged girl as she flew away.

As for Gendo, his frown deepened. He already knew that Spirit would be checking in on this woman in the days ahead. Just to make sure NERV didn't do anything untoward to her.

Undercutting his authority even more.

_Your days are numbered, girl, _Gendo thought sourly. _Yours and whatever other freaks SEELE may send. I hold all the winds and dragons. And soon, I will hold a power greater than you could ever imagine._

"Commander Ikari, sir!" came a familiar voice, one that instantly snapped Gendo back to reality. And he looked up in time to see Captain Chiron striding towards him, a tightly controlled expression on the dark-haired man's face. "The area has been secured, sir. No sign of hostiles within a one block radius."

"Very well. Have both that woman and the 1st Child escorted back to NERV. I want your people to search Tokyo-3. I want the rest of those people found immediately," Gendo ordered, his left hand once again clasping his wounded forearm. A dull burning sensation already warning him about the possibility of infection. "And put me in touch with Sub Commander Fuyutsuki. We need to track down She-Hulk as quickly as possible."

"Yes, sir," Chiron answered as he escorted the Commander to one of the vans. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the former Director would be causing trouble. Considering her…flamboyant ways."

With a face devoid of feeling, Gendo returned the Captain's gaze. Knowing that Chiron was saying some very unflattering of about Misato and how she had managed to get herself promoted without quite saying it. Deciding the he could hold off on giving Chiron his due, the Commander focused his attention on the business at hand. "Arrange an escort for both the 1st Child and that woman over there. I don't want her speaking to anyone until I've had the chance to…deal with her."

"Yes, sir," Chiron smirked. The prospect of shoving women around clearly a pleasant one in his eye.

"I also want the Rhino remanded to a holding cell. In one of our more…specialized facilities," Gendo continued as they got into the van. The Commander of NERV taking a seat before the computer gear and satellite-based equipment. "I have some questions I want answered. Both about him…and the people who sent him."

While Chiron was nodding his understanding, a connection was soon established between the van and NERV Headquarters. The screen crackled to life, revealing the elderly features of one of the few men Gendo Ikari genuinely respected, and to extent even liked. "Fuyutsuki here," the old professor spoke wryly. "Should I assume that the opposition has been dealt with?"

"To an extent," Gendo returned. "However, we have another situation to deal with. She-Hulk has run off with the 3rd Child." Exhaling sharply, Fuyutsuki's grimace revealed that he was unsurprised by this development. "We need to track her down immediately."

"Understood," Fuyutsuki spoke. "Is there anything else, Ikari?"

Allowing this slip in formality as he usually did with the older man, Gendo continued to more pertinent matters of business. "The Rhino is being brought to NERV. Have Dr. Akagi ready. I want a full analysis performed on his armor, and tissue samples taken from the Rhino himself." Wincing as he wound flared for his attention, the Commander once again shoved the pain away. "We also have to deal with the third hostage. I'll be placing Captain Chiron in charge of her…debriefing."

"I…see," Fuyutsuki spoke reluctantly. Then a look of what could almost be concern appeared on his when Gendo hissed in discomfort. "Ikari? Is something wrong?"

"It is nothing, Sub Commander," Gendo hissed tersely, sticking to decorum this time. Only to wince again

as his injury throbbed and burned just a bit more.

Clearly not dissuaded, Fuyutsuki studied his former student. "Ikari, it might be wise to come back now, and let Captain Chiron take care of matters there," the old professor advised. "If there's any of the Grey Gargoyle's nano-virus still in your system…"

"That's why I had Rei and the woman sent back," Gendo returned. "An examination of them should have the same results as it would with me."

"Perhaps," Fuyutsuki conceded grudgingly. "But still, it would be best for you to receive a full examination. Just to be safe."

"Make no mistakes, sensei, I have every intention of doing so," Gendo responded. Then his expression grew darker, a subtle menace in his eyes. "_After _I'm satisfied that everything is well in hand here."

It was obvious that Fuyutsuki wasn't happy about the Commander's decision, but Gendo didn't care. Any more than he cared for the worsening pain in his forearm. To his mind, the injury was nothing more than a simple scrape, and he would damned if he display any fear of the Grey Gargoyle's power. For if there was anything Gendo Ikari had learned over the course of his life, it was that you never allowed weakness to show. You never came off as anything other than as one who held all the power.

The world they lived in was one filled with sin, with people who only saw each other as potential victims for their greed and cruelty. To allow such displays of weakness was to make yourself the next target. The next victim to be used and disposed of. And Gendo Ikari had long since vowed that he would be the one in charge. The wolf, not the sheep.

_It's just a simple scrape. I'll treat it and be done in good time, _Gendo thought, fighting down the ever-growing pain…

* * *

His heart pounding in his chest, Shinji held on for dear life, his arms tightly wrapped about She-Hulk's neck as she leapt miles at a time. For although she still held him securely, the boy couldn't help himself. The knowledge of what would happen if he should fall made him impossible to resist this urge. Especially in light of She-Hulk's rebellion. Her refusal to return to NERV.

_I'm sorry, Misato, _Shinji cried in his mind. _I know it must be awful for you down there, always stuck in that place, but…_

Fear and worry clinging to him, Shinji once again gulped as She-Hulk came down for another landing. Her impact creating another crater, her body absorbed the impact and prevented it from travelling to the boy she carried. Standing up straight and craning her neck, she snorted as she looked about, her emerald irises taking in every detail of their surroundings.

"Where are you taking me?" Shinji asked the beast-woman, his heart struggling to keep up with the sheer level of adrenaline that had flooded his system.

Not bothering or not able to answer, She-Hulk continued to turn her head about. Only to grunt as her eyes narrowed, and then she smiled and coiled her legs beneath her once more. Lurching in the she-beast's arms as she fired herself off into the sky once more, Shinji fought the dizziness, the fear, and the sheer intoxication. All the confused, tangled emotions he felt as they rose into the sky, with nothing beneath them but empty air.

_Misato would probably kill to do something like this as herself, _Shinji thought ruefully. Knowing that his guardian hadn't been given the nickname of 'Kamikaze Katsuragi' without good reason.

After this leap had been completed, She-Hulk jumped once more, but this time a much shorter distance. Far enough to place the both of them on an empty section of road many miles away from Tokyo-3. And when she stood this time, she didn't leap again. She simply started walking, loosening her grip on Shinji a tiny bit.

The boy frowned perplexedly, for it was clear that this was where She-Hulk had wanted to take him. Only Shinji had no idea where they were. Warily, he looked about the area before turning his gaze to the hulking giantess. "Where are we?"

"Good place," She-Hulk rumbled in way of response as she continued forward. Leaving Shinji even more confused as he looked about, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Much to his surprise, this place seemed somehow…familiar. Very familiar. The boy found himself wracking his brain, trying to connect this place to the vague memories echoing within his mind.

Then She-Hulk came to a halt, looking at the boy in her arms and smiling before looking ahead once more. When Shinji frowned and followed her gaze, his confusion was immediately blasted apart…and replaced with wonderment.

Spread before him was the whole of Tokyo-3, nestled beneath the mountain road She-Hulk stood on, with only a guardrail between them and the magnificent vista. A view that left Shinji gasping in awe, and then memory. He _had _been there before, with it being the early afternoon rather than sunset being the only difference.

Blinking rapidly, Shinji looked at his guardian, his jaw popping open in awe. "This is where you took me before. When I first came to Tokyo-3," the boy murmured. Remembering that day when he had discovered that someone actually wanted him to share a home with her. If only because she couldn't stand the thought of him living alone.

_Remember the place I took you to? You know, so I could show you the city? _Misato's voice came in Shinji's mind. The day before she had set out to destroy the 10th Angel._ It's too bad, you know. I really would have liked to gone there again. You know, before the operation._

His heart going warm as he once again felt a surge of happiness flood him, Shinji felt his eyes watering as he smiled. "You wanted to come here again, didn't you?" he asked numbly. "You wanted to show me this place? To be here…with me?"

"Good place," She-Hulk rumbled happily. "Good place for She-Hulk. Good place for Shinji-kun."

Nodding, Shinji drew himself even closer to the beast-woman. "Yes…it is a good place," he agreed, once again savoring her warmth. The rest of the world, his duties and concerns now seeming so distant to him. Stupid, meaningless things that had no place here. Where there was just Misato, and himself.

Looking dreamily at the woman, Shinji murmured, "Would you…like to stay here for a while?" The answer he got was a simple nod, one that had him sniffle as his emotions threatened to overrun him. "Then…let's do that." With a rumble of approval, She-Hulk held the boy up even higher as he looked about.

"Let's…go over there," Shinji decided, pointing at the hillside filled with trees. With ample space to see the view, while making it more difficult for them to be seen by anyone who might just come along. "Besides, I'd like to rest for a while. Wouldn't you?"

Nodding, the beast-woman carried Shinji off the road and into the trees. Looking about, She-Hulk soon spotted a large, grassy patch, and made a noise of approval. Turning about so that she and Shinji were looking out on the view of the city, the green woman lay down, making sure that Shinji was securely tucked against her.

Giving no mind to She-Hulk's nudity, Shinji clung to her ever more tightly. "Thank you," the boy murmured. "Thank you…for bringing me here."

The only sound She-Hulk made was a low, happy growl as the two of them relaxed, watching the world go by, and feeling not a single worry as this perfectly happy moment stretched out into an eternity.

* * *

"So she hasn't left that spot?" Fuyutsuki asked, his formidable gaze insuring optimum performance from the people on the bridge. A number that was somewhat less than usual, since all people below a certain clearance level had been banished for the time being. Leaving only those who were aware of Misato's secret.

"No, sir. Or at least, Shinji's cell phone hasn't." Chihiro answered. Maya's replacement was eyeing the satellite readout the marked a spot a few miles away from Tokyo-3. "According to the satellite readings, it's been holding position there for the past hour. I'm just assuming that he's still holding it."

Nodding, Fuyutsuki processed this information with a measure of relief. While he was definitely unhappy about She-Hulk roaming freely about, this was a far cry from the worst-case scenarios he had imagined before. And if the gamma mutant was content to just laze about for a time, then she would in all likelihood transform back into Misato on her own, at which point it would be simplicity itself to retrieve her. With this hopeful thought, he ordered, "In any case, continue monitoring the signal. Let me know if it changes location."

"No problem, sir," Chihiro answered in a playful fashion. "Of course, this only does us any good if Shinji remains in close proximity to She-Hulk, but…"

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Makoto said reasonably. "There's no way the Major would take off on him."

Shigeru nodded his assent. "Besides, I'm sure Shinji would call us if something happens."

Smiling wryly, Chihiro finally nodded. "I guess you're right about that," she admitted before turning about in her seat. "So what now, Sub Commander? Should we have Section 2 retrieve them?"

"No," Fuyutsuki countered. "Given the fact that She-Hulk ran off when Section 2 arrived, I'd say it's likely that their arrival would only result in her running off again. If not provoke her to violence." Giving these words a chance to penetrate the minds of those present, the old professor finally smiled. "For now, we'll let them be. Keep an eye on that signal, and wait for She-Hulk's pattern to disappear. As soon as it does, we'll try calling Pilot Ikari, and see if we can safely retrieve the Major."

"Understood, sir," Chihiro answered brightly.

"Well, this is sure gonna be one long wait," Shigeru commented as he leaned back in his seat, well aware of that tediousness that he was about to endure. Staring at a blip on the screen for the next hour.

"Tell me about it," Makoto grumbled. Leaving no doubt in anybody's mind that he was practically spitting with envy at the knowledge that Shinji was all alone with a very buff, very green, and very naked Misato.

"Well, I better check in with Captain Ibuki. See how the disposal of the Rhino and his armor is proceeding," Fuyutsuki grumbled. The complications of the day only beginning.

* * *

"I don't care where you stick me," the Rhino groaned as he was moved through NERV, securely manacled to a metallic gurney that several Section 2 agents were escorting. The tattered giant groaning as his flesh and blood continued to swell up, circuits and cables hanging limply from his body. "I just want some food and a sack right now. That's it."

"Whatever you say," Captain Chiron returned, walking alongside of the defeated monster.

"I want a full work up of his physiology and his cybernetic components," Ritsuko declared as she paced the Section 2 people, with Maya and several NERV techs following close behind. "We're also going to have to do an analysis of the armor fragments you savaged, see if we can trace them back to their manufacturer."

"Lady, you can do anything you want with that damned crap," the Rhino moaned, his voice betraying every ache and pain he was feeling. "It sure as hell didn't do me a lot of good."

Watching from a short distance, Maya followed closely, keeping an attentive eye on everything that happened. All the while feeling overwhelmed, out of her element here. Trying to make sense of the aftermath of battle, when she ultimately found her focus elsewhere. On the ruined sections of armor that she had seen being moved to the research labs, to the circuits and gears that remained connected to the Rhino's body. Even her thoughts were in line with her technician's mind. What kind of technology was used to accomplish such a fusion of machine components and living tissue? Was it similar to that employed in the Evangelions, or was it something altogether different? And what were the differences when such a fusion was performed with human flesh, rather than that cloned of Adam? Did it require major alterations of the Rhino's cell structure?

So many questions teased at Maya's thoughts. So many things she wanted to do in order to answer them. And so much that was beyond her, now that she was stuck with the position of Operations Director.

_I hate my life, _Maya thought sourly as the Rhino was finally placed in a secure holding cell. One that would hopefully be secure enough until something more formidable was constructed later on.

As the brunette somberly observed the proceedings, she started when Ritsuko came up to her, a concerned look on her face. "What is it, Maya?"

Sighing, Maya just looked at the older woman. "It's…pretty strange, sempai," the Captain finally confessed. "The Rhino…he seemed so terrifying before, and now…"

"Yes, I know," Ritsuko agreed. "He isn't really as impressive without his armor."

"That's not what I meant," Maya confessed. When the faux-blonde frowned her confusion, the Captain shrugged. "The way he was acting…it's strange. He really wasn't acting like a maniac, or a killer. It was more like…he was just some guy. Like the kind you'd meet down at the bar, or see working in an auto shop."

Her lip curling up, Ritsuko admitted, "I know what you mean." The doctor then frowned in thought before her eyes lit up. "By the way, Rei and that other woman? They've already reported to NERV Medical."

"Are they all right?" Maya wondered.

"Well, they seem to be fine. But we're going to have to conduct a complete examination of them before we can be certain," Ritsuko admitted. "You know, I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I almost hope some of the Grey Gargoyle's nano-virus actually survived." When Maya gave her friend a shocked look, the doctor shrugged helplessly. "I mean, to be able to examine a virus of honestly turning a living person to _stone…_I'd love to be able to find out how that worked!"

Smiling ruefully, Maya found herself seeing the older woman's point. "I know what you mean," she admitted, the lure of discovery a powerful one for her as well. "So, I assume you're going to be overseeing the study of the Rhino and his armor."

"A safe assumption," Ritsuko concurred. Then she rolled her eyes at the thought. "As if I'm not busy enough with Misato's examinations. Honestly, I've never seen any mutation as pervasive and intricate as what's happened to her! Even with the MAGI's help, we've barely begun to understand the mechanism of the transformation! And now I have to deal with this as well?"

"I really wish I could help you, ma'am," Maya told her earnestly.

"Believe me, I wish you could, too," Ritsuko confided. "Chihiro's got a good mind, but she's no match for you in the lab." As Maya lowered her head wistfully, the doctor placed a kindly hand on her shoulder. "Look, I know you're busy with your new job, but if you like, I could send you copies of our analyses."

A rush of hope filling her, Maya couldn't stop a smile from splitting her face in two. "Really?"

"Why not? It's not like you don't have the right clearance," Ritsuko reminded the younger woman. "Besides, there's every chance that you might see something I'd overlook, and anyway…I really do miss working with you." As Maya just stood there, completely floored by this, the doctor smiled, holding up her arms in invitation. "So? Are you interested?"

The Captain flung herself into Ritsuko's arms. _"Sempai!"_ Maya cried out. Sorely tempted to kiss her mentor, questions about her sexuality be damned.

* * *

Shinji had no awareness of having fallen asleep. And as he slowly opened his eyes, he was actually shocked when he realized that he had indeed been asleep. With all the adrenaline that had been thumping through his body, he thought it would keep him up for a month at the least.

_I guess…this has been a long day, _Shinji thought to himself as he gained greater awareness of his situation. _Is it even the same day? What time is it, anyway?_

Blinking rapidly, Shinji looked about, and saw that the sun was finally setting upon Tokyo-3. The scene below becoming more and more like that Misato had taken him to see on the day he had first come here, a time that felt like centuries ago.

Then the sound of low breathing drew Shinji's attention, and he became aware of other things. Of a warm body pressed against his own, of an arm draped about his shoulder. A slender arm coated in pink flesh. Upon coming to these realizations, Shinji looked about, and saw the face of Misato Katsuragi hanging on his shoulder, her eyes closes and her lips curled in a blissful smile.

Looking at the woman's face, Shinji couldn't help but smile at the heartwarming sight. _I guess…she must've transformed back in her sleep, _the boy realized, happy for this. _Now when she wakes up, she'll be able to see this place again as herself._

Grateful for this, Shinji once again lay back, unable to keep himself from studying the woman's sleeping face. And as he did so, he became aware of other things. Like the fact that, as Misato had her arms wrapped about the boy's frame, his were placed upon the woman's on tender frame. Soft, warm skin met his hands even as Misato's breathing drew his attention to her bosom, something that even all the dirt and grime that covered her could never hope to obscure.

His cheeks coloring, Shinji gulped somewhat. While he no longer felt shame at gazing at the primitive She-Hulk, looking at Misato in her more human form seemed like a somewhat different matter. He swiveled his eyes up above the woman's chest, focusing solely on her face, trying to ignore everything else. At which point his gaze was drawn irrevocably to Misato's lips, which were puckered ever so slightly.

Gulping loudly, Shinji felt his body reacting more and more, his mind being subjected to tremendous temptation. The combination of Misato's posture and the raging hormones bringing forth memories of a similar situation, when Asuka had come before him after sleepwalking. A situation whose consequences had rather unpleasant consequences in both the short and long term.

Even while Shinji was trying to use the memory of the argument he had with the redhead as the mental equivalent of a cold shower, his efforts to keep his hormones inline running into opposition from two realities. One was the fact that Misato had kissed him before. A fierce, vigorous kiss that completely blew his mind away. The second was the fact, the hard, overwhelming reality that his body was pressed against Misato's own. His hands were about her slender waist, her bosom was just a glance away, and her hot breath was warming his skin, forcing him to shake his head in denial of what had already become inevitable.

_I…I shouldn't…_ Shinji thought as he drew closer, his attention firmly on Misato's lips. His body surrendering to urges that were as primal as the She-Hulk. _I really…I mean…with what happened with Asuka…I…!_

The moment this thought crossed Shinji's mind, the boy hesitated, his mouth popping as he studied the woman. Half-expecting her to cry in her sleep, or to make some noise of distress such as he had heard her make in her sleep before. But this did not happen. Misato just kept sleeping the sleep of the innocent. Completely unaware of the less than innocent thoughts surging through Shinji's mind.

Unable to hold off the inevitable any longer, Shinji moved closer, his lips finding Misato's own. Instantly, the warmth he felt intensified. _Oh, god…Misato! _the boy thought, unable to believe himself capable of such emotion. When he did pull away, he did so with incredible reluctance, feeling tremendous relief as he realized that Misato was still asleep.

At this realization, Shinji felt something change within him. Like a well was opening inside, a yawning pit of unmet needs and desires. A hunger that the kiss had only served to awaken.

Swallowing a lump of bile that had formed in his throat, Shinji looked at the woman he was holding his arms, trying to deny what he felt, but was ultimately unable to fight it. The fact that he had been starved for love for ten long years, and this woman, even in her primal state, had been more than happy to provide it for him. So the boy leaned over to kiss her once more.

As his lips found Misato's once more, her touch stirring the fires of his heart even higher, a metaphorical bucket of ice water was dumped on Shinji's head when her brown eyes popped open. A surprised squeak sounded in Misato's lips as hiss eyes went wide. Both of them requiring a few moments to process the situation before the boy leapt off of Misato like she was on fire.

"Shinji…" Misato got out, blinking her eyes rapidly as she sat. As the realization that he had been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, Shinji's mind went reeling. A thousand different worst-case scenarios flooded his mind, many of them ending with him becoming a smear on two sets of large, green knuckles.

"M-m-misato…!" Shinji stammered out. The boy proceeded to babble out an apology, only to find his vocal cords too badly shaken to give voice to anything coherent.

"You…" Misato got out, looking about as she tried to make sense of everything. "W-what...you…"

"I'm sorry!" Shinji blurted, knowing that Misato would surly hate him for daring to take advantage of her while she was asleep. An idea that left the boy cursing himself and his stupid hormones. "I didn't mean – I know I shouldn't have – I couldn't help – _I'm sorry!"_

"For what?" Misato responded, looking dazed and confused as she tried to acclimate herself to her current surroundings. Getting to her feet, the purple-haired woman stepped gingerly as she looked around. "Shinji, I…wh-where are we?"

Taken aback by the revelation that Misato wasn't going to turn green and punt him several thousand miles distant, Shinji's nerves settled down about a notch. "Uh…this is where you brought me, remember?" the boy explained, carefully avoiding looking at the more sensitive regions of the nude woman's body. "You know? Before you…brought me home?"

Her confusion slowly turning to recognition, and then delight, Misato smiled before shaking her head. "Of course. I should've realized it sooner," she sighed wistfully. Fondly looking out at the panorama that was presented to her. "I'm sorry, Shinji-kun. I guess…"

"No, it's okay. I…didn't realize where you – She-Hulk – was going, either," Shinji confessed, still refusing to meet the woman's gaze. His insides churning mercilessly as he shook his head slowly, trying to find a way to express what he had to say. Then he finally cried, "Misato, please! I really am sorry!"

"For what?" Misato wondered, genuine confusion shading her features. When Shinji's response was to look straight at her, unable to express his confusion, the purple-haired woman smiled that impish smile that he was so familiar with as she knelt back down. "For her – me – bringing you here?" When Shinji refused to answer, the woman smiled even more broadly. "Or for the kiss?"

A strangled groan escaped Shinji's lips as he squirmed about. Looking as if he wished he could melt down beneath some rock and die. Which was ultimately all the answer Misato needed. "Shinji…" the woman spoke, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why on earth do you think I'd be mad at you for kissing me?"

His mouth falling open, Shinji struggled to answer. For while there were many reasons he could see for her being mad, the complete absent of wrath was much harder to explain. "Um…I dunno, I just…"

"Well, let me explain something to you, right here and now," Misato spoke, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I don't mind you kissing me. Not at all."

"Huh?" Shinji started, his confusion mounting. "R-really, Misato?"

"Really," Misato nodded. Then she quirked another of her famous smiles. "I mean, if I _were _mad, I think you'd know about it." As she laughed at her own joke, Shinji found his own spirits lightening. A lightness that made itself known in his throat, and finally transformed into mild laughter.

Sighing as she shook her head at her ward, Misato then looked down at herself. Giving a dismayed groan, the woman grumbled, "Though I'm not sure how can you can even stand to look at me right now! I'm such a mess!"

"Oh, you…" Shinji fumbled, only to realize that he was about to say something perhaps none too wise. Then he shrugged and tried to fake it. "Well…I didn't really see it, but I heard some of the fighting. It must've been pretty serious."

"Boy, I'll say," Misato agreed, rolling her eyes up at the boy. "Ugh. I guess I shouldn't be surprised I'm so gross, considering the size of that blast."

"What blast?" Shinji wondered.

Giving a low sigh, Misato answered, "Well, the Rhino detonated one of the missile launchers with She-Hulk still in it, and…" Then the woman fell silent. Her mouth popping open, but nothing escaping it.

"Misato?" Shinji prompted as the woman's tongue fell flat in her mouth. Her eyes going round with astonishment, her entire posture thunderstruck. "Misato, what is it?"

_"Shinji!" _Misato cried out, placing her hands on his shoulders, her fingers digging deep into his body. "I remember! _I remember what happened when I was She-Hulk!"_

"What?" Shinji gaped, once again floored with shock. "Y-you do?"

"Yes! I remember…fighting the Rhino, and that explosion," Misato spoke, her excitement growing with each word she spoke. Then she frowned somewhat, her eyes narrowed with effort. "Then…I was tearing through the Rhino's armor…I think I was…looking for something…"

"You were!" Shinji agreed, his own shock turning to rejoice. He then quickly explained how the armored fiend had been betrayed by the Grey Gargoyle. "Anyway, you ripped out the explosive and tossed it away! You saved everybody's life, including his!"

Nodding quickly, Misato smiled the smile of those who had experienced salvation. "Shinji, don't you see? I remember everything that happened! Before, I always blacked out when I changed! Every single time!" Panting with joy, the woman then looked wildly about. "Oh, we have to get back to NERV right away!"

"We do?" Shinji queried. Feeling his joy being washed away.

"Yes, we have to tell Ritsuko about this!" Misato went on as she got back to her feet. Her expression one big tension machine as she visibly processed what was going on in her mind. "This could be just the break we need in dealing with this thing! We need to run some tests! EEGs, CAT scans, the works!" Nodding to herself, Misato swung her gaze about in thought. "Shinji, this…this could be major. I…we need to run some tests, and…"

And go back to the depths of NERV. Far away from the fresh air, gentle breezes, the trees and natural beauty of the outside world. From the first breath of freedom Misato Katsuragi had been able to enjoy in a horribly long time. Things that were reflected with painful ease off the woman's brown eyes as her excitement failed in the face of once again being locked away in her gilded cage.

_Misato…_ Shinji thought mournfully. Only to jump in surprise as his cell phone rang. Hearing Misato's own expression of surprise, the boy fumbled with his clothing, and eventually came up with that wretched necessity of modern living.

Hitting the receive button, Shinji put the phone to his ear. "Uh, hello?"

"Shinji! It's me, Ritsuko," came the voice of the faux-blonde.

"Oh, Akagi-san," Shinji answered, darting a glance at Misato. Her arms were folded across her chest, sadness clouding over her face.

"Shinji, is Misato still with you?" Ritsuko demanded.

"Uh, yeah. Misato's…right here," Shinji answered. His heart breaking at the sight of her growing desolation.

"Oh, that's a relief. Listen, we have to get her back to NERV as soon as possible," Ritsuko told him wearily. "Is she awake? We're not detecting her pattern anymore, but I don't want to take the chance of startling her awake."

A noise of hesitation rumbling in his throat, Shinji looked carefully at the soft, pink-skinned woman who had given him everything in his life. "Uh, no. No," he replied slowly. "Actually, Akagi-san…she hasn't changed back yet."

"What?" Ritsuko got out, genuinely surprised by this. "That's strange! We're not picking up her pattern, and I would have thought for sure that she would've changed back by now."

"Well, I don't know what to say, Akagi-san," Shinji told her. The renewed smile on Misato's face giving greater strength to his fibbing. "But she's…asleep right now, and…I don't think we should disturb her."

A tired groan her initial response, Ritsuko then added to it. "Well, Fuyutsuki isn't going to be too happy about that," the doctor admitted. "But…okay, Shinji. But, please! As soon as Misato changes back, please call us. We'll send an ambulance up to you with some blankets."

"Okay," Shinji agreed. "I'll see you later." The boy heard the connection go dead, at which point he was floored by Misato practically falling on his face, rewarding his prevarication with a bare-busted bear hug.

"Oh, Shinji…" the woman smiled, practically choking on her joy. "God, I'm such a rotten guardian!" When a noise of confusion escaped the boy's lips, Misato laughed even more. "I mean, look at you! Lying with such a straight face! I have been such a terrible influence on you!"

The woman's happiness bringing renewed joy to Shinji, he couldn't help but look at her. Feeling no shame as he returned Misato's embrace, despite the telltale coloring of his cheeks. "So…what now?" he wondered, feeling his heart pounding that much harder in his chest.

"Well…" Misato mused, looking up at the sky. "Why don't we give it until dark? Call Rits then?" Tilting her head about, the purple-haired woman locked gazes with the boy. "After all, it's been forever since I've seen the sun set, and…I don't want to keep you out too late."

"Oh…I don't mind," Shinji murmured as the woman snuggled up even more tightly to him. "Uh, Misato? Are…you cold?"

"No, not really," Misato answered. Then her usual deviousness showed through. "What's wrong, Shinji-kun?"

"Um…" Shinji got out, trying very hard to keep his eyes from straying down to more forbidden territory. Something else that got a laugh out of his guardian.

"Relax, Shinji. After all, it's not the first time you've seen me naked, remember?" Misato murmured, tightening her grip on the boy. "Anyway, it's not like you're carrying a spare towel on you this time."

Privately admitting that the woman had a point, Shinji nodded. For a moment, he considered offering Misato his shirt, but he found himself doubting that it would be enough to cover up any real amount of her body. And as much as Misato didn't mind showing off her form, the boy found himself adverse to the notion of revealing any portion of his body to her.

_Of course…if I had muscles like She-Hulk, that might be another story,_ Shinji thought as he nodded, calming down somewhat as Misato pressed her body against him.

"Besides…I think it's a little too late for me to try and be modest," Misato teased, delighting in the greater blush that resulted of her words and proximity. At which point Shinji could practically see a light bulb explode over her head, given her an air of pure mischief. "Oh, and just so you know, Shinji-kun, I don't mind you kissing me. Not now, not ever."

"Huh?" Shinji gaped.

"That's right," Misato assured him. Leaning in even closer to the boy, running her hand up and down the back of his neck. The feel of her skin against his raising goosebumps all over his body. "In fact…why don't I show you just how much…I don't mind."

Before Shinji's natural shyness could take hold and dominate his response, Misato leaned in closer, and planted a firm, loving kiss upon his lips. Unable to help himself, the boy returned the gesture, feeling the blood swirl fiercely about within his veins like he was in constant danger of collapsing with a nosebleed, but unable to bring himself to care about it.

_Maybe hormones aren't that stupid after all, _Shinji decided as each kiss he received sent him further into the heights of heaven.

* * *

Author's Notes: Another long chapter, but thankfully, not as long as the last one. And I hope the fights entertained. Please, read and review! And maybe check out my other stories, please?

Now, about that last scene, I guess a lot of people would have expected Shinji to completely fall apart with Misato being draped about him, and completely naked, to boot. But I can't help but feel that his proximity to She-Hulk, and her prancing about in the buff as well, would have inured himself to being in such situations, and that he would not be as prone to nosebleeding to death.

Besides, I can't imagine Misato being anything short of incredibly grateful to Shinji for helping her out there, considering how much a woman like her would hate being confined to the depths of NERV, day in and day out.

Mike313, if you think Gendo is insidious now, just wait and see what happens in the next few chapters!

Archdruid-Sephiroth, I'm surprised you don't know about the Rhino! He's only been running around causing wanton destruction for whomever's willing to pay him to do a job since the sixties, and I know he's been in at least two Spider-Man cartoons and a couple video games!

animefan29, I'm not sure I'm going to be really showcasing a Grey She-Hulk, except for in the omakes. I really don't want to complicate this story needlessly, but that doesn't mean I won't be getting into Misato's darker nature in this story. I'm just going to be doing it in a slightly different fashion. Still, that doesn't mean I won't change my mind later on.

And speaking of which…

Omake

"Ha! Take _that, _ya dumb broad!" the Rhino sneered, bringing up his fists in triumph. "Yeah, and maybe now, people won't think that the Rhino is so stupid! I -!"

"Stupid? You want to talk about being stupid?" She-Hulk shouted as she fell from the sky. Her tattered business suit revealing every curve the grey-skinned woman had to offer. "I'll tell you what's stupid! You coming here and trying to pick a fight with Misato Fixit! _That's _what's stupid!"

"Hey, lady, like I said before, it's nothing personal!" the Rhino responded, holding up his hands helplessly. "It's not like I enjoy getting the crap beaten outta me! But the bosses ordered me to stomp ya flat! So it's not like I've got a big choice!"

"Your bosses, huh?" the grey-skinned gangster mused thoughtfully. "Just out of curiosity, how much are these bosses paying you?"

"Huh?" the Rhino muttered, taken aback by this question. "W-why do you wanna know?"

"I don't know," She-Hulk cooed, twirling her hair about her finger. "It's just that…maybe I can make you a better offer…"

* * *

_"What do you mean, I'm fired?" _Captain Chiron screamed, his horrified gaze falling on the grey-skinned monster that was the bane of his existence.

"Hey, don't act like you didn't see this coming, you male-chauvinist prick!" She-Hulk grinned. "After all, you had to have known that once I had Gendo locked away, it was only a matter of time before I found someone to replace your sorry ass as head of Section 2!"

"That's impossible!" Chiron protested in vain. "It takes a certain kind of man to handle these kind of responsibilities! And there's no way you could have found someone man enough to handle it!"

"Wrong as usual, Chiron!" She-Hulk grinned, wagging her finger in the air. Then she looked back out of the door to the man's office. "Hello! Rhino! Why don't you come in and check out your new office?"

"Sure thing, boss!" Rhino answered, his feet sounding heavily as he entered. To Chiron's shock, the biomechanical monster was dressed in a dark-grey business suit, with a set of sunglasses obscuring his eyes.

"So, what do you think?" She-Hulk asked, even as Chiron wilted in horror.

"Not bad," the Rhino answered. "It's a damned sight better than all those damned abandoned warehouses I was always getting shafted with!" Then the horned man smirked in Chiron's direction. "In fact, the only problems I've got are the tiny furniture…and the little wimp stinking up the joint."

"Oh, don't worry about the furniture! I'll be arranging for stuff in your size," She-Hulk grinned. Then she shot Chiron a deadly glance. "As for the little wimp…why don't you show him the way out?"

"What?" Chiron gasped.

"You sure?" Rhino asked eagerly.

"Of course I am!" She-Hulk answered, folding her arms across her chest. "Just think of it as your first official assignment…Captain Rhino!"

Nodding in barely restrained glee, the new Captain glared at Chiron, who broke into a terrified run. But was nowhere near fast enough to elude his doom as the Rhino shot forward, and horned him right in the butt.

Howling in pain, Iwao Chiron was sent flying through the window, his hands about his injured posterior as he slammed into the wall of the Geofront.


	15. Maya's Malady

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 15: Maya's Malady

Shinji had no idea what time it was. He was certain that it was late, probably two or three in the morning. But that didn't matter to him. For even as tired as he felt that night, sleep would not come to him. Simply because of how cold his bed felt to him.

In his mind, he knew that this was ridiculous. The temperature in Tokyo-3 ranged from the sixties at night to the eighties during the day, with only the apartment's air conditioning rendering it comfortable. He was resting on top of his bed in a sleep shirt and pants, and had curled up beneath a couple of blankets. But despite this, Shinji still felt cold. Cold, empty, and exposed.

And more importantly, he knew _why._ Why sleep had proven so elusive for him lately, along with so many other things.

On the day of her battle with the Rhino, She-Hulk had carried Shinji up and away from Tokyo-3, to that place where Shinji had been brought by her human self. And the place where he had learned that his life might actually hold value after all…became the place where Shinji had learned, once and for all, what it truly felt like to be loved.

For a long time, She-Hulk had cradled and cuddled Shinji, having brought him there just to be alone with him. To show him, in her primitive fashion, how much she cared for him. Eventually, both exhausted and overwhelmed by the events of that day, Shinji had found himself so comfortable, so content in the beast-woman's soft, strong arms, that he had fallen asleep. And when he woke up, he had found himself in Misato's embrace.

The purple-haired woman had had every reason to be angry when she woke up, both by her situation and the fact that she was being held and kissed by a teenage boy who was acting like a hormonal pervert. But despite these things, she had not lashed out at Shinji. Had not punished him, had not yelled at him. Instead, Misato, like her bestial other, had welcomed Shinji's advances, and had responded in kind. And as a result, he once again enjoyed the tender softness of her flesh pressed against his slender form. Her beauty, her kindness, her warmth became his entire world.

Until finally, after putting off the inevitable for as long as they could, they had been forced to contact NERV. To have them send an ambulance to retrieve them, all for the purpose of returning Misato to her gilded cage.

As Shinji thought back to that night, he found his own reaction to that memory as divided as Misato herself was now. A part of himself was still blushing at that time, at the teasing Misato had subjected him to. There was happiness in seeing her once again being the woman he had grown to know and care for, there was sadness and resignation when the time finally came to call the medics to come pick them up, and there had been embarrassment and irritation when the ambulance finally arrived. Embarrassment for the teasing remarks Shinji had had to put up with when he had been caught in Misato's arms…and irritation that that wonderful time between them had come to an abrupt end.

And there was something else. A feeling horribly unfamiliar to Shinji. One that had risen up when Misato had kissed him there, and had grown even stronger as he had returned the gesture. Of how this woman, completely bare to him and so horribly cursed, had taken him in her arms and so welcomed his touch. The warm, tender flesh stroking his own, and the beautiful woman he had spent the remaining hours of daylight, watching the sun set behind the horizon, not wanting or needing anything but to be with each other.

Laying in the darkness of his room, Shinji found himself wanting that again. Needing to feel that way again. Needing it so badly that the sheer thought of it made his blood feel like it was on fire.

_Misato…_ Shinji thought, focusing on the many different images this single name produced in his mind. There was the playful, teasing guardian who had welcomed him to Tokyo-3, the woman who was slowly suffocating within the depths of NERV. There was the mindless destroyer that she became whenever her fury took over, the gentle giantess that same creature could be, who cooed and cuddled and protected him. And then there was that moment, far beyond Tokyo-3, when the sun was falling. The woman who kissed and held him, showing him so much love…

_I…I need you…_ Shinji thought miserably, wanting to feel that way again. He wanted to be held, to be kissed and cuddled and loved. He wanted so desperately to be comforted, to feel her warmth against his own skin once again. To have her, this woman with so many different faces, to take him in her arms once again, and chase away the cold and loneliness that held him prisoner.

Feeling the minutes slowly passing into hours, Shinji curled up even tighter beneath his blankets. Wrapping them even more closely about his slender frame. Knowing that the heat these things provided wouldn't make him feel warm the way he wished to feel. And knowing that, like in the past few nights, sleep would not come easily to him. If at all.

* * *

"I don't believe this…" Ritsuko muttered, her eyes slowly expanding with horror. Her scientific mind unable, unwilling to accept that she could possibly be seeing what her brain perceived.

Frozen stood stock-still, Ritsuko stared at the being that had filled her with such shock. A being that slowly looked up from where she sat, turned her bloodshot eyes at the faux-blonde. Her lips slowly cracked open into a rough grin, from which horribly foul gases slowly rose up and caused Ritsuko to recoil, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Just before she said, "Oh…hi, sempai."

"Maya, what happened to you?" Ritsuko gasped as she continued to stare at the young woman, who was currently seated in her office. Automatically trying to reconcile the image of the sensible, intelligent young woman she had worked with so well and so frequently with the tattered wreck that sat before her, only to have her mind throw up its metaphoric arms and give it up as a bad job. "You look like an elephant sat on your face!"

"I'm okay, sempai," Maya got out, waving dismissively. The black bags lingering beneath her eyes seeming to sway from the movement, practically screaming 'liar!' as they did so. "I just…had a late night, that's all."

"A late night? Maya, have you even _slept_ these past few days?" Ritsuko demanded incredulously. Only to wrinkle her nose at a strange odor. "And what is that smell?" the faux-blonde asked, just before taking an experimental sniff. "Is that…have you been drinking _again?"_

"Aw, c'mon. It's no big deal. I only had a couple…" Maya started, only to sputter out. Her eyes rolling uncertainly in her sockets, as if she was unsure if she had been about to say shots, cans, six-packs, or kegs. Though the higher amounts of alcohol seemed to be the more likely answers.

Placing her hand to her forehead, Ritsuko shook her head slightly before trying to smile. "Look, I know it can't be easy, having to deal with everything that's been happening lately, but…you really shouldn't be drinking so much," she gently chided the younger woman. Then, with a mischievous tone, she added, "Besides, just because you've got Misato's job, doesn't mean that you have to do _everything _she does!"

"Can't be easy?" Maya asked incredulously. "Sempai…do you know what I've been doing ever since that battle with the Rhino?" Unsure of what to say, Ritsuko just stood there as her former understudy hung her head miserably. "Paperwork. Mountains…and mountains of paperwork, that's what!"

"Really?" Ritsuko wondered, giving the younger woman a thoughtful frown. "I knew that Misato and Rhino had caused some damage, but…"

"_Some _damage?" Maya moaned despairingly. "Sempai, I had to deal with _thirty-seven _requisition forms from the armaments division _alone!_ And then the UN was asking why there was so much damage when there wasn't an Angel attacking! Not to mention all the buildings that were destroyed, and requests for compensation from local businesses, and…!"

"Uh-oh," Ritsuko groaned, already getting a fair mental image of such an event. "That bad, huh?"

"That's one way of putting it," Maya grimaced, shaking her head woefully. "The day after the battle, they just kept bringing in more and more paperwork! It was spilling off the top of the desk!"

Groaning sympathetically, Ritsuko watched as the current Operations Director glared at the desk, as if it was somehow stained from being inundated in overwhelming mounds of bureaucratic bullshit. "Well, we knew it would happen," she commented, trying to be a comforting presence. "Remember? Commander Ikari had NERV take full responsibility for the battle and the clean up. After all, it was the only way to keep what's happened to Misato a secret."

"I…I know that, sempai," Maya replied, heaving a deep sigh in memory of those decisions. "But I've barely had time to look at any of those analyses you've given me. You know, of the Rhino and his armor?"

These words caused something to click in Ritsuko's mind. "Maya…is _that _why you haven't been getting much sleep? Because you've been studying those reports?" the doctor asked worriedly. When the younger woman shot her a guilty smile, Ritsuko rolled her eyes and said, "Look, I know you want to help, but really. You need to give yourself a break. You don't have to…"

"Yes, I do," Maya insisted, pain and determination showing in equal amounts in her voice. "Those analyses, your work on the Major…sempai, don't you understand? Things like that are the reasons I joined NERV to begin with! To work with my mind! Not things like…like _this!_" Smashing the palm of her hand down resoundingly on her desk, the young Captain swiveled her eyes about her office before once again looking at her mentor. "Why…why did you recommend me for this position, anyway?"

Exhaling through her pursed lips, Ritsuko eventually shrugged. "Well…I know you. I know how well you handle responsibility. I was sure that if anybody could handle this position properly, it'd be you," she carefully explained. "And I honestly thought it would be good for you. For your career."

"Well, it might be good for my career…but it's no good for _me_," Maya sniffed. A sound that mostly resembled a toilet backing up. "Sempai…can't you find someone _else_ to do this? Someone…better suited for this kind of work?"

"Maya, please. It's not like this a permanent assignment," Ritsuko assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Remember? It's just until Misato is cured."

"Well, it sure _feels _permanent," Maya grumbled sourly. "At the rate things are going, the Angels will all be dead before the Major can take over again."

"Maybe. Maybe not," Ritsuko told her. When Maya's brows knotted up in confusion, the doctor smiled mysteriously. "What would you say if I told you that we're already got a possible cure in the testing stages?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Maya's bloodshot orbs swelled out of their sockets, with both pupils aimed directly at Ritsuko. "A…cure…?" the younger woman asked, a rivulet of drool appearing as she spoke. Only to be cut off as she narrowed her eyes despairingly. "Please tell me you're not joking."

"Why do you think I dropped by, anyway? To drop off more paperwork?" Ritsuko asked rhetorically. The Captain didn't answer, her face twisting with horror and confusion. Deciding that mentioning the bane of Maya's existence wasn't the best of ideas, the doctor cleared her throat and tried again. "Anyway, judging from our latest tests and samples, it should be possible to make Misato's body think its being subjected to excessive levels of energy bombardment."

"Like…when she was hit by those explosions?" Maya asked blearily. Some trace of her keen mind still somehow functioning beneath the fog of sleeplessness and booze.

"Exactly," Ritsuko agreed. "And as we already know, when that happened, her body began venting the excess energies in order to remain stable. Now, if we can trick her body into thinking its being exposed to a similar set of circumstances, her cell structure should begin purging the gamma radiation from her system. And once enough of it has been expelled…"

"She…she won't be able to transform anymore…!" Maya murmured, her beleaguered mind finally grasping the import of her mentor's words. Her lips drew into a twisted smile, letting out even more boozy breath as Ritsuko nodded, smiling despite the aroma. A smile that was dissipated completely when the beleaguered Captain leapt up and wrapped her arms about her. "Oh, sempai, I just _love you!"_

"Uh – what?" Ritsuko froze, paling as Maya caressed her cheek with her own. Once again as stiff as a statue as the younger woman showered her with affection.

After several seconds of snuggling, Maya froze as well. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she pulled away, a blush coloring her rather sheepish expression. "Oh, I'm…I'm sorry," she giggled as she took a step backwards. "I guess I got a bit…overexcited."

"Uh, yeah. I…kind of noticed that," Ritsuko returned, fighting down her own embarrassment.

"So, uh…how much longer until the treatment is ready?" Maya asked. Her eyes saying 'Soon, I hope!' for her.

"Well, we're still conducting tests on blood samples, trying to get the error margin down," Ritsuko explained, trying not to get Maya's hopes up too high. "But if everything goes well, we should be ready to make the attempt within…two or so weeks."

"Two weeks?" Maya asked, caught somewhere between relief and disappointment. Relief that her time in command was now more-or-less a fixed sentence, and disappointment that it was longer than a day or two. Swallowing loudly, she leaned in closer to the faux-blonde. "Really?"

"I think so," Ritsuko nodded. Then she gave a rueful curl to the corner of her lip. "Of course, I still have plenty of work to do before that can happen. Never mind everything that needs to be done before the pribnow box is fully operational."

"Oh, right. It still isn't done yet, is it?" Maya winced, this recollection knocking away some of her rediscovered hope. Heaving a weary sigh, the younger woman shrugged helplessly. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. With all the time it took, setting up the Major's quarters, the testing range…"

"That's right. Just about _everything's_ fallen behind because of what's happened," Ritsuko grumbled good-naturedly. Then she directed a smile back at her friend. "Look, tell you what. Why don't you try and relax. Maybe catch up on some of the sleep you've been missing, and I'll see about getting Misato's treatment ready as soon as possible." Leaning in closer to Maya, she added, "I'll even let you do the honors of switching it on."

Exhaling heavily, Maya cast a weary smile at her mentor. "Thanks, sempai," the younger woman told her gratefully. Settling back down, she slowly eased herself back into her chair, only to shoot the doctor an apologetic look. "And…I am sorry if I…well, that is…"

"That's alright, Maya," Ritsuko smiled, waving away the young Captain's concerns. "I guess I wouldn't be doing too well with this sort of thing, either." Then she smiled even more deeply as she added, "After all, I'm a doctor, not a bureaucrat."

"Yeah, I know," Maya grumbled good-naturedly, giving a thoughtful shake of her head. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course," Ritsuko assured her. "What is it?"

"_Please_ make sure this cure works!" Maya pleaded, clasping her hands together before her. "I don't know how much more of this I can take! I'm starting to see paperwork in my _sleep!_"

Unable to help herself, Ritsuko found herself giggling at the Captain's antics. "Oh, that's not good," she smirked, even as the brunette looked like she was about to throw herself to the doctor's feet and beg for mercy. And given the haggard air she wore, Ritsuko would have been far from surprised if she actually did that. "I'll try my best," she vowed in all honesty.

"Thank you," Maya smiled, her eyes moistening slightly as she looked at her desk. "I mean…I know it's wrong, but…the truth is, I'm starting to envy the Major somewhat." A questioning sound echoed in Ritsuko's throat, to which the Captain shrugged sheepishly. "At least she doesn't have to put up with all the department heads, the UN. And all this damned paperwork…why would anybody _want_ a job like this, anyway?"

"Misato has her reasons, in case you've forgotten," Ritsuko reminded her. "And you might not believe it, but…if she was given the chance, she'd probably trade places with you in a heartbeat."

Heaving a deep breath, Maya thought of the woman who was forced to languish within the depths of NERV. "Yeah, I know," she murmured sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Anyway, just try and keep it together for a little while longer, Maya," Ritsuko pleaded, placing her hand on her shoulder. Then, with a weary smile, she added, "And…try to be more careful about what you wish for."

"I know. Because I just might get it, right?" Maya grumbled, rolling her eyes somewhat in the process.

"That's right," Ritsuko told her in all seriousness. Thinking of things she herself had desired above all, only to find them to be tainted gifts when she finally received them. And grew even more tainted over the passage of time.

Putting these thoughts aside, Ritsuko added, "And we have enough going wrong here without jinxing ourselves in the process." Letting the younger woman absorb these words of wisdom, the doctor heaved a tired breath before moving away. "Well, I better get going. The sooner Misato's cured, the happier all of us are going to be."

"I'll buy that," Maya groaned as Ritsuko retreated. "Good luck, sempai."

"Thanks, Maya," Ritsuko smiled, looking appreciatively over her shoulder at the younger woman. Then she once again took in her exhaustion, her frustration, and otherwise spent condition, and mentally added, _Though the way you're going, I get the feeling you're going to need it more than I will._

* * *

In a room devoid of life, where darkness was ruled over by twelve monoliths representing twelve cruel souls, a battle was being watched and reviewed. A battle that had ended many days ago, and had been recorded from various secret cameras that had been deployed throughout Tokyo-3 before it even began. The data collected from those cameras, as well as other sources, had been analyzed, scrutinized, studied, and evaluated by scientists, technicians, geneticists, and specialists of many other fields. Technical data had been crunched by different versions of the MAGI, and records checked and checked again to insure their complete accuracy. And it was only now, after all twelve members of SEELE had finally been able to free themselves from their own affairs, that they were able to view the results…and discuss what they saw amongst themselves.

"Incredible," came a whisper of awe from the monolith marked SEELE-07. His voice the only intelligible sound to be heard as the twelve members of SEELE watched the earth-shattering battle that had taken place between Rhino and She-Hulk. At the mindless destruction wreaked upon both their agent and the city by the green-skinned Amazon. "Impossible…"

"Considering the fact that we are witnessing it with our very eyes, I'd say that it's not only possible, but incontrovertible fact," came the dry voice of SEELE-04. "Especially when you consider the telemetry received from our colleague's supposedly 'unstoppable' Rhino."

"Indeed," SEELE-12 commented, a slight bristling to his voice. "The Rhino's armor was composed of a titanium-steel alloy, and yet this…She-Hulk tore it apart as if it were paper."

"And she was able to successfully remove the armor's self-destruct mechanism, despite the countermeasures which you claimed to be foolproof!" SEELE-05 pointed out unhappily. "And now Ikari has it, and will surely be able to prove that -!"

"He will able to prove _nothing,_" SEELE-12 broke in, the electronic distortion surrounding his voice incapable of hiding the annoyance he felt. "Every component of the Rhino's has been manufactured using unmarked technology taken from various manufacturers. As I told you all before, there is no way it can possibly be traced back to us."

"You had better be right," SEELE-09 muttered darkly. "If the Rhino were somehow linked to the Committee, then the press -!"

"The press? The press is the least of our worries!" SEELE-02 broke in. "This battle not only confirms that Ikari created this She-Hulk, but it is also under his command! If he can mass-produce creatures such as this -!"

"We'll have no power left over him! With an army such as that, we'll be unable to take control of NERV away from him, even with the help of the JSSDF!" SEELE-04 agreed fearfully. "The scenario, everything we've been working towards, could be imperiled!"

As if these words were a trigger, the various members of SEELE began arguing uncontrollably. For all their wealth and power, they knew they were vulnerable as long as Gendo held ultimate sway over the key components of their scenario. And if they lost the ability to take his power away from him, then he could take everything they had worked for over the many years away from them when the crucial moment finally arrived.

"Enough!" came the voice of SEELE-01. The voice of their eldest and most powerful member cut through the din, silencing the squabbling members effortlessly. As the last monolith fell silent, the voice of Lorentz Keel spoke once more. "This bickering accomplishes nothing." SEELE-01 let this sink in for a moment before following up with, "Remember, like our scenario, whatever plans Ikari has cannot be put into motion until the last Angel has fallen. We still have time."

"But how much time?" SEELE-07 demanded. "We have no idea what Ikari has planned, or if he has any other creatures like this She-Hulk at his command! We have to do something about him! _Now!"_

"And we will," SEELE-01 assured him. "But we cannot act hastily. The first thing we must do is learn the exact nature of Ikari's schemes."

"How are we to do that?" SEELE-08 wondered anxiously. "We cannot rely on Ryoji. He's playing games of his own, remember?"

"I am well aware of Mr. Kaji's agenda," SEELE-01 assured his fellows. "How fortunate for us that he is not our only resource." Letting the silence speak, piquing the interest of his fellows, the head of SEELE let out a low chuckle beneath his breath. "What is the Grey Gargoyle's status?"

"He is presently enjoying the full comfort of one my safe houses," SEELE-12 answered promptly.

"Then tell him that he's being sent back to Tokyo-3," SEELE-01 ordered. "Only this time, he will aided and assisted…by persons of my own choosing."

"I see," SEELE-12 answered with an edge of curiosity. "And his mission?"

"He will be acting as support for my people. Given his previous experience with this She-Hulk and Tokyo-3's layout and defenses, it is logical to have him as a part of this mission. Especially in light of the…side-effect of his touch," SEELE-01 declared. His words were soon followed by a murmur of approval. "Once there, he and the others will assess the situation, and if possible…gather samples from this She-Hulk, and whatever other monstrosities Ikari may be breeding."

"But if Ikari discovers that we're behind this…he could destroy the 1st and 2nd Messengers!" SEELE-09 protested. "The one true Lance, Adam, Lilith…he could annihilate _everything!"_

"True. There is some risk in this venture," SEELE-01 admitted with a hint of grimness. "But there is an even greater risk in allowing Ikari to continue such experiments unopposed. And we cannot simply slash his budget; we cannot afford to do anything that would unduly hinder NERV's ability to defeat the Angels. Or have you forgotten that they are as great a danger to the scenario as anything Ikari could breed?" There was silence as he let his words sink in. "No, we must discover what his plan is…and cut it off at the roots, while we still have time. Take back control of the situation."

Slowly at first, but then more readily, there were noises of assent from the other members of SEELE. However, before SEELE-01 could say anything further, SEELE-03 spoke. "She is magnificent, isn't she?" he said, the electronic distortion of the chamber's voice synthesizers unable to hide the slight edge of desire his words possessed. "Hard to believe that such a thing could be even remotely human."

No one said anything to this at first. Instead, there was silence until SEELE-01 said, "Indeed." The thoughtful tone of this single word echoed about the chamber until he declared, "This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

"So, Rei and your father are okay?" Hikari asked nervously. More than simple compassion or curiosity driving her question.

"Yes," Shinji confirmed as the two of them walked along the streets of Tokyo-3. Smiling as best as he could for Hikari's benefit. "Dr. Akagi and her people have been giving them checkups for several days now. There was some residual material from the Grey Gargoyle's nanites, but it doesn't look like they were still intact. So it doesn't look like there's any chance of them still being affected by them." Then the boy frowned slightly as he narrowed his eyes at his friend. "But…what about you, Horaki-chan? How are you feeling?"

"Me? I'm okay, I guess," Hikari shrugged helplessly. "I haven't noticed anything unusual." Then she smiled in a self-depreciating manner. "Well…at least not anything _more _unusual."

"I'm sorry it took me so long, but security around NERV is even tighter than usual," Shinji apologized profusely. "Section 2 has been all over everything, and Rei…"

"I know. I haven't seen her in class since the battle. And you don't have to tell me about security! Asuka's been complaining about that right along!" Hikari told him as she looked over her shoulder. Returning her attention to Shinji, she gave him a slight frown. "And speaking of which…are you _sure _we lost those Section 2 guys?"

Nodding, Shinji answered, "I haven't seen them since we left the Quickie Mart." Then a knowing smile graced the youth's face. "Actually, Asuka likes to say that a turtle with arthritis could shake one of them."

Unable to help herself, Hikari was soon chortling at the image the boy's word conjured. The mirth she was now enjoying a welcome distraction from the fears that had been haunting her. "Anyway, I guess if there were still some of those things in me, I'd have noticed something by now," the class representative admitted. Then, rubbing her hand up and down her arm, she added, "Though I have to admit…I've had some pretty creepy dreams since then."

"I'm sorry," Shinji spoke instantly.

"What are you saying?" Hikari asked querulously, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "It's not like it's your fault!"

"Oh, I know that!" Shinji returned with a nervous shrug. "But…I'm still sorry…that you got hurt." Then, his eyes lowering to the concrete before him, he added, "I just wish that…I'd been able to help, that's all."

Sighing lightly, Hikari smiled her appreciation. "Thanks," she told him, meaning it. "I have to admit, I would've felt a lot better with a couple of Evas backing me up."

"Uh, right," Shinji nodded, not entirely certain how to take this comment. The fact that Hikari would have liked to have had his assistance did feel good on one level. However, it also reminded him of just how little he could do on his own.

_I…couldn't do _anything_ to help. Misato, Hikari, Rei…anyone, _Shinji thought woefully. The events of that battle still fresh and somewhat terrifying within his own mind, of how the Rhino had ripped apart the armored transport and dangled him and Rei before She-Hulk, the two children reduced to shields for their enemy. _Without Unit 01…or the others…_

Even as his thoughts were taking this grim turn, Hikari was eyeing Shinji in a puzzled fashion. "Well, not that isn't great to talk to you, but…what are we doing out here, anyway?"

"Huh?" Shinji got out, startled from his own world. As he looked at Hikari's face, he soon recovered and answered, "Well, I'm not sure." A questioning noise appearing from the girl's throat, to which he shrugged helplessly. "Y'see, Toji called me earlier today, and said there was something he wanted to talk about."

"Really?" Hikari got out, her brows furrowed with concern and curiosity. "What is it?"

"I don't know. All he did was give me the code words that we were supposed to meet at Kensuke's place," Shinji admitted. "I mean…you know that we can't risk talking too much over the phones…"

Exhaling through her pursed lips, Hikari shook her head. "I know," the pigtailed girl groaned in a disapproving fashion. "I swear, the instant we started up the Brigade, Kensuke went into total 'X-Files' mode. No talking on the phone, no emails, secret code words, making sure that nobody's following us…" Pausing to roll her eyes, she then added, "Honestly, you'd think we were in some bad spy movie!"

"He's just being careful," Shinji told the girl defensively. "And we can't take any chances. I mean…you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Hikari grumbled, shaking her head unhappily. Her thoughts filled with all the misery caused her by NERV's various efforts to either capture or eliminate her winged alter ego, thoughts that led her to another discovery she had made. "By the way, I looked up that woman that Rhino and Gargoyle captured." Shinji frowned his confusion, to which she added, "Junko Marishima? The other person they were holding hostage?"

"Oh, right! Her!" Shinji cried out in memory. "Uh, what about her? Is she alright?"

"I think so. So far, anyway," Hikari reported. "I did quick check on her place, and I saw her through a window. Or least, I think it was her." Then she frowned and added, "Unfortunately, I also spotted at least half a dozen Section 2 goons keeping an eye on her as well."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Shinji shook his head before replying, "Look, I'm sorry, Horaki-chan. But for now, I think we'd better keep an eye on her. You know…just in case."

"No arguments here. NERV isn't exactly subtle when they want to get someone," Hikari grumbled somberly. Then she arched an eyebrow at the boy and asked, "By the way, Shinji, there's something I've been wondering." He just looked at her in a puzzled fashion. "Do you have…any idea why NERV is out to get Spirit?"

Blinking rapidly at this, Shinji frowned slightly, considering his words. "Well…part of it is what Father told me. Remember? How Dr. Akagi said you might…?" he prompted as gingerly as he could. When Hikari tightened her lips, nodding her understanding, the boy sighed unhappily. "But…well, a lot of it is that…well, you know how much it costs to maintain the Evas, right? And…well…"

"And when a little girl blows up Angels left and right with just a wave of her hand, the government and the taxpayers aren't too happy about spending all that money on machines that wind up either collecting dust or getting blown up themselves," Hikari gathered, shaking her head unhappily. "Look, I know it can't be easy, having to deal with that sort of thing. But…I'm just trying to help."

"I know you are," Shinji protested somberly. Doing his best to keep the silent envy out of his voice as he went on. "Come on. We better get going."

"Right," Hikari nodded. The two of them started moving faster, passing by the various towers that made up Tokyo-3. Eventually, the two of them arrived at Kensuke's house, a fairly large home in one of the better parts of the fortress city, and a place that practically screamed money.

Letting out an impressed whistle, Hikari shook her head slowly as the both of them approached the front door. "Whew. I _knew _Kensuke was well off, but _this…_" the pigtailed girl murmured in low awe, to which Shinji nodded in private agreement. Having visited Kensuke's place a couple times in the past, though, he was used to the opulent two-story dwelling. Without hesitation he went up to the door and rang the bell.

After a few seconds of waiting, the door swung open, revealing a tall, athletic boy on the other side. "Hey, Shin-man! You came!" Toji grinned pleasantly. Then his smile was diminished somewhat as he noticed the other person present. "Oh. Hi, Hikari."

"Hello, Toji," Hikari returned curtly.

Though not entirely pleased by Hikari's presence, Toji quickly returned his attention to his friend. "C'mon, you two," he said, gesturing for them to follow him as he moved back into the house. "Don't worry; Ken's folks aren't in. We have the whole place to ourselves."

"Okay," Shinji spoke as they entered, with Hikari closing and locking the door as they entered. They then followed Toji as the jock made his way up the stairs and led them into another room.

"Well, Ken, the Brigade's all here!" Toji declared as he stepped in, the door hanging open long enough for the others to follow him in. Completely unaware of the look of horror that spawned on Hikari's face.

"What in the…?" Hikari gasped out as she took in what could only be Kensuke's bedroom. Though for the prudish class representative, it might as well have been one of her absolute worst nightmares. The entire room seemed to exist in a state of barely controlled chaos. Everywhere she looked, there was military paraphernalia, everything from fake machine guns to camouflage clothing, there were bookshelves loaded with graphic novels and anime DVDs alike, and off in one corner was a desk laden with several computer towers and monitors. Hooked up to that digital monolith were scanners, cameras, and hordes of other devices Hikari couldn't even begin to identify. And littering the floor was what looked half of the otaku's wardrobe, several articles of which had footprints marking them.

"Hey, you two!" Kensuke grinned, looking perfectly at home in this landfill. Gesturing at his bed, he told them, "Come on, have a seat!

"Um…" Shinji started, looking at the proffered bed. The boy shifted uneasily on his feet as he studied it, clearly unhappy about the prospect of committing his posterior to such a slovenly disaster. Then, with a slight grimace, he seated himself so that he was right next to the homemade monstrosity that was Kensuke's computer.

"Thanks," Hikari got out as she joined him. "Nice place, Aida."

"Thanks! I designed it myself!" Kensuke grinned. Completely missing the sarcasm that had been oozing from Hikari's words, the otaku directed his focus at Shinji. "So, Shinji, how's everything going? And, say, how's Misato-sama? Have you seen her lately?"

"Oh, Misato?" Shinji responded instantly. Hesitating slightly, he shrugged before saying, "Well…she's doing okay, I guess. She's keeping busy, and…"

Shinji fell silent at this. His eyes lowering to the floor, the 3rd Child shook his head unhappily. "And…?" Toji prompted, gesturing for his friend to continue.

"I don't know. I…" Shinji murmured, thinking of the woman who had done so much for him. Of the happiness she had given him on that evening, far from Tokyo-3, happiness beyond anything Shinji had ever enjoyed before. A happiness that was torn away when Misato was returned to the prison his father had had built for her. And even though the wound this had left in Shinji's heart was scabbed over, it was all too easy for it to start bleeding again.

"I…she…it's just so wrong…" Shinji finally managed to get out. Heaving a sigh of pure misery, he lowered his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, but…"

"We understand," Hikari spoke comfortingly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I guess it can't be easy. For any of you."

Gulping down on the lump of bile that had formed in his throat, Shinji managed a quick nod as he looked back up. "Thanks," was all he said. All he could think of saying then. "I – I'm sorry. It's just…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Toji spoke from where he stood. His brusque air coming off more forced than anything else. "Look, this…this would be hard on anybody, okay?" Frowning somewhat, the jock paused to consider his next words. "So…she's doing okay, right?" When Shinji gave a slight nod, Toji looked at him more intensely. "And what about you? How you holding up?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Shinji met his friends' gazes. "Me?" he asked, his voice sounding strained even to himself. "I…I'm okay. I guess. Sorry." He then forced a slight small onto his face. "And I'll be a lot better…when Misato's home again."

"I heard _that!_" Kensuke grinned. Teenage hormones free flowing out of his eyes.

"Kensuke Aida…" Hikari growled warningly beneath her breath. Shooting Kensuke a glare that almost caused him to shrivel up and die right where he sat, the class representative turned her gaze to the other boy. "Toji…you told Shinji that you wanted to talk about something…"

"That's right," Toji returned quickly even as he shot a sideways glance at their otaku friend. "Well, first of all, Ken was able to come up with something."

As two sets of eyes settled on his, Kensuke recovered the geekish eagerness that Hikari had boiled out of him. "That's right! And, man! Have I got some stuff for you!"

"Really?" Shinji wondered, despair being faded by hope. "Wh-what is it?"

"Well, you know how I've been trying to track down any info on what happened to Jet Alone?" Kensuke explained, his eyes glowing with excitement even as he worked his keyboard. "Well, I finally managed to find something!"

"You did?" Hikari gaped as Shinji leaned forward. Both of their hearts pumping that much more quickly.

"Hey, don't get too excited just yet," Toji cautioned them. "It's not much."

"Not much? It's a report from a government inspection team that just happened to have been brought over to the Jet Alone proving grounds! Just a _week_ before that thing went nuts!" Kensuke enthused, moving for Shinji and Hikari to look at one of the monitors. "You see, the Japanese government was really interested in using robots like Jet Alone to support the Evas! It was all supposed to be part of something they called the Trident project, and -!"

"And what?" Shinji wondered as he studied the screen. Furrowing his brow as he looked at the various documents that Kensuke had dug up. "What are these?"

"Official reports made by a special government inspection team," Kensuke grinned, looking very much like the cat that had eaten the canary. While Shinji and Hikari were trying to grasp the import of this, the otaku was gesturing at certain parts of the digital document. "Now, Japan Heavy Chemical Cooperative was a serious government contractor! And so they had a lot of inspections done on Jet Alone's systems! You know, so the government could make sure that they were getting their money's worth! And _that _means -!"

"Kensuke, just get to the point," Hikari demanded irritably, not in the mood for the otaku's longwinded explanation. "What is it that you found?"

"Nothing much. Just certified proof that Jet Alone's meltdown basically _had_ to be sabotage!" Kensuke grinned excitedly. "See? This is a report submitted by the inspection team to the government! And it shows all the systems they looked over during the inspection, and -!"

"And…they didn't find anything wrong with it," Shinji gaped as he studied the document. "Which means…"

"Which means that, whatever caused that thing to go nuts, it had to have happened in the week before Jet Alone's trial run!" Kensuke concluded, his grin threatening to grow slightly wider than his face. "And about the only way _that _could have happened is if somebody altered its programming _after _the inspection, but -!"

"But before the trial run," Shinji nodded, his eyes lighting up with comprehension. "So that they wouldn't find the problem and correct it…before it was too late."

"That's right!" Kensuke returned with ever-growing excitement. "That'd be the only way to make the sabotage work! I'm telling you, this clinches it! Everything that you've been saying, Shinji! It's all real, man!"

Studying the documentation intently, Hikari eventually turned a concerned frown towards the otaku. "That's good, Kensuke, but…it doesn't prove sabotage. Or that NERV had anything to do with what happened!"

His face falling into a wounded pout, Kensuke stared disbelievingly at Hikari. "Aw, c'mon, class rep! What do you want? A security camera feed, catching the bad guy in action?" the otaku protested. "Do you have any idea how long it took me, just to find this much?"

"I'm not saying that you didn't do a good job, Kensuke," Hikari protested understandingly. "Something like this is _definitely _something we can use, and it does make the whole accident look pretty unlikely." While the bespectacled boy was recovering his smile, the class representative became practical. "But we still have to find some way of proving that NERV's behind this, and I'm afraid that this by itself isn't enough."

Even as Kensuke released a dismayed groan at just how unimpressed his audience was, Toji shrugged casually. "Hey, I hear ya, class rep," he grumbled. "But Ken's already been up and down the net several times! It's not like he's been having an easy time with this!"

"I understand," Shinji spoke up. "And I really do appreciate it." As the other two boys turned their attention to their resident Eva pilot, the 3rd Child looked intently at Kensuke. "But…maybe there's something else we can use."

"Like what?" Kensuke wondered, holding up his hands helplessly.

"Well…isn't there some way of finding a backup copy of Jet Alone's programming?" Shinji wondered. "I mean, if we could get a look at something like that, then maybe…"

"How?" Kensuke asked somewhat bitterly. "The whole company went down, Shinji! Their computers, Jet Alone, the programming, all of it! Gone without a trace!"

"But there has to be _something_ left!" Hikari countered forcefully. "Even if the Cooperative went bankrupt, somebody must've bought up what was left of it! Technology, computers, it all had to go _somewhere!_"

"I already thought of that!" Kensuke quickly protested. "And I've been trying to run down things like that, but the list is unreal! And I've already run into a couple dummy companies!"

"Dummy companies?" Shinji asked blankly, being only vaguely familiar with the phrase in question. "Wh-what's that mean, anyway?"

"It means that it's an empty shell. Just a front for another company or buyer. It's on the registry of various businesses, might even have a few buildings listed as a corporate headquarters, but that's about it," Kensuke explained patiently. Then he began working the keyboard, his fingers a blur as he typed in various commands. Soon enough, one of the monitors showed several different lists and documents.

"See?" Kensuke said, pointing at one of the smaller documents. "It's a list of the dummy companies I've found."

Leaning in closer, Hikari and Shinji began reading some of the names. "Extensive Industries…Oroku Standard Genetics…Shannon Bio Inc…" the freckled girl muttered as they read. Furrowing her brows, she looked questioningly at their resident hacker. "You mean…these are all _fake?_"

"Completely bogus!" Kensuke assured them. "They look okay on paper, but if you do a little digging, you see that they haven't changed or sold anything for about ten years!" His glasses catching the light in such a fashion as to seem to magnify his intensity, the otaku added, "And here's the _really_ nasty part. Each and every one of the dummy companies I've checked out? Well, guess what? You do a little looking, and each of them all leads back to one backer."

A dread pit opened up within Shinji's stomach at this. "You mean…NERV?"

"Not exactly," Toji broke in. The jock was leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "According to what Ken's found, those companies are all connected to the Marduk Institute."

"But…!" Shinji started, his unease increasing with each passing second. "But that's…!"

"That's the group the UN set up to select Eva pilots? Yeah, I know!" Kensuke piped up. Shaking his head worriedly, the hacker stared painfully at the screens. "Shinji…I have to tell you, the deeper I dig into this, the uglier things get!"

Exhaling deeply, Shinji lowered his eyes to the floor. Though initially excited by Kensuke's discoveries, his friend's words had ultimately caused doubts to rise up in him. For if the Marduk Institute was supporting Jet Alone's sabotage, then that would have to mean that his father's actions were supported by the Instrumentality Committee. And though Shinji was far from being an expert on world affairs, he knew enough to realize that there were some very powerful, very _dangerous_ people involved in both these groups.

"Kensuke…" Shinji started nervously, looking about from one of his friends to another. "Look, um…I really appreciate what you've been doing, and…it's great that you were able to find all this out. But…"

Seeming to intuit what his friend was trying to say, Toji glared dangerously. "This better not be the part where you tell us that this is too dangerous and that we should butt out, Shin-man!"

Starting at this, Shinji met Toji's gaze. "I'm sorry, but…I don't want any of you to get hurt!"

"Hey, believe me! _We _don't wanna get hurt, either!" Kensuke grinned cockily. "Besides, if you're worried about somebody being able to trace what I'm doing, then forget it!" A confused gasp escaped Shinji's lips as he studied the otaku. "You see, I've been running a piggyback program in order to find all this stuff out!"

"A…piggyback program?" Hikari frowned perplexedly.

"Yeah!" Kensuke grinned easily. "It's real simple! I whipped up a search program that rides other forms of computer activity in order to execute specific searches in the appropriate databases!" Having said this, Kensuke proceeded to sit there, seemingly waiting for some kind of accolade to his computer genius. The only response he got was Shinji and Hikari staring blankly at him. Which was shortly followed a loud chortle from Toji.

"Maybe you should try it again in straight Japanese, Ken," Toji suggested in a mocking fashion. "Or have you forgotten that you're the only one here who speaks geek?" Then the athletic boy focused on his other friends there. "Don't feel too bad. I didn't get it the first fifty times he explained it to me, either."

It was slow, at first, but soon titters of amusement resulted from Toji's words, with Kensuke's laughs being the strongest. "Okay, okay!" the bespectacled boy grinned, holding up his hands in surrender. He then returned his attention to the others, waiting for them to settle down before explaining. "Well, basically, my program works by riding things like emails, other search engines. It's like…my program is riding the same bus as somebody else's programs, using it to get wherever it wants to go."

"Oh, I get it," Hikari said, snapping her fingers. "So it's using the other programs to camouflage whatever its doing?"

"Well, sort of," Kensuke replied. He seemed to consider giving a more accurate description of the process, but ultimately decided against it. "But trust me, there is no way anyone could have traced me. So stop worrying about it!"

Sighing at the sheer impossibility of Kensuke's request, Shinji considered the matter. "So…what do we do now?" he wondered, looking in the faces of his friends for some kind of answer. "Any ideas?"

"It's like I said, Shinji. If we're going to prove that NERV is responsible for sabotaging Jet Alone, we're going to need some hard evidence. Something linking NERV directly to Jet Alone," Hikari stated. The Horaki family matriarch considered the matter briefly. "So far, all we know is that it must have happened shortly before the demonstration, but that's it. We need more information than that!"

Frowning intently, Shinji considered this for a time. "What about…Dr. Akagi?" he asked with tremendous hesitation. "I…I did tell you about her, right?"

"That she was at the demonstration?" Kensuke inferred. When Shinji nodded to this, the otaku wrinkled up his face in concentration. "Well, I did a little checking on her background. And she definitely has the brains to pull off something like that. But I couldn't find anything that put her close enough to Jet Alone itself to actually _do_ anything! And you'd have to think that the security there would be solid! _Especially _where someone from the group they were trying to replace was concerned!"

"Besides, didn't you tell us that she's Misato-sama's friend?" Toji asked, looking pointedly at Shinji. "If she was, why would she let her go out and try and stop Jet Alone when she knew it was gonna shut down by itself?"

"That's just it. I asked Misato about it, and…Akagi-san _did _try and talk her out of it," Shinji informed them. "I mean…I know it doesn't prove that she knew anything, but…"

"But she was there. _And _she has the necessary background," Hikari nodded thoughtfully. Then she eyed the other boys. "That just leaves us with one question. How do we prove that she had anything to do with it?"

There was an uncomfortable silence at this. Then a light bulb seemed to explode over Toji's head. "Hey, wait! Ken, didn't one of the news articles say something about one of the security people?" the jock asked excitedly. "You know, that guy…oh, what was his name? The guy who was in charge of security for the demonstration?"

"Oh, him?" Kensuke asked, his eyes widening at this. "I don't remember his name, either, but I'm pretty sure that I can find it again. Why?"

"Because maybe he knows something we can use!" Toji exulted.

There was a momentary thrill of excitement surging through Shinji's heart. However, like many emotions the boy had experienced over the course of his life, it was soon dampened by a wave of pessimism. "But…just because he was in charge of security, doesn't mean he saw Akagi-san do anything…"

"Maybe, but he might know someone who _did _see something," Hikari commented before turning to Kensuke. "If you can find this guy, maybe I could ask him more about what happened. And if one of his people saw something…"

"Not a bad idea, class rep," Toji admitted grudgingly. "But even if Ken finds him, what are you gonna do? Just go up to his door and ask if he saw Jet Alone being sabotaged?"

"Don't worry about that, Toji Suzuhara," Hikari smiled in what could almost be described as a superior manner. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I can be _very _persuasive when I want to be!"

An irritated snort was Toji's only response, but Shinji smiled gratefully at Hikari. "Are you sure about this, Hikari?" he asked. "I mean…"

"I'll think of something," Hikari smiled easily, waving aside his concerns. "I'm pretty sure I can just…wing it."

A few seconds passed as Shinji studied the girl's face. Though he was fairly observant, the young Ikari's ability to grasp certain social subtleties was limited at best. Which was why it took him a few seconds before comprehension finally clicked in his mind. "Oh, right!" Shinji finally got out, only to realize that maybe he was betraying too much emotion. "Um, well…I mean…that is…I'm sure you can…too!"

When Hikari responded by giving the boy a sheepish smile, Shinji looked at his fellow Stooges. Both boys were giving him curious looks, resulting in Shinji's cheeks coloring. _Okay. I'm definitely not made to be a spy, _he quickly concluded.

Fully aware of the uncomfortable silence that resulted of his mouth, Shinji decided to try and change the subject. "So, okay…if she can, Hikari will talk to the security guy," he declared, trying to think of something else to say. "And, well…the rest of us…"

"Uh, before we start making any other plans…there's one more thing we wanted to talk to you about," Toji spoke up. Both of the newcomers focused on him, and saw a face that was taut with hesitation. "Now, the thing is, Kensuke's pretty good at dancing around with computers on his own, but he's still only one guy. And he's already been running into trouble, getting the info we need."

"I…I know that, Toji," Shinji nodded, frowning as he tried to grasp what his friend was saying. "But…what else can we do?"

"Well…you see, it's like this, Shinji…" Kensuke started out slowly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "You see, me and Toji…we know somebody who might be able to help us."

"Somebody?" Shinji repeated, growing more confused.

"That's right," Toji confirmed. For once, his mannerisms were of utter seriousness. "They're a couple girls Ken and I met a while ago."

"A…couple girls?" Shinji repeated, looking from his fellow Stooges to Hikari. Suspicion welling up within him.

Obviously sharing in Shinji's wariness, Hikari locked gazes with the athletic boy. "Toji…this isn't just some school club. We can't just tell _anybody_ about what we're doing here," Hikari spoke, trying to be stern and quiet at the same time, the need for secrecy affecting her mannerisms.

A need that Hikari was worried Toji had momentarily forgotten in the face of raging hormones.

Apparently sensing the girl's concerns, Toji gave her a hard look, giving the effect of a wounded ego. "Hey, I know that!" he grumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "I know you think I'm just another dumb jock, Hikari, but we know what we're talking about here!"

"Seriously!" Kensuke chimed in, looking equally wounded. "We wouldn't have said anything if they couldn't help! Honest!"

Taking a moment to eye Kensuke, Hikari then sighed as she looked at her crush. Leaning back somewhat, she considered her next words. "Don't get me wrong, Toji," she started, speaking as diplomatically as she could. "It's just that…we can't afford to take any chances here."

"Besides, uh…what makes you think we can trust these…girls?" Shinji wondered, looking intently at his friend. "And…why do you want them to join us?"

"Because they are total tech-heads! They can get into just about any computer ever made!" Kensuke grinned, practically salivating at the thought. "And put me together with them, and we'll be able to track down all the info we could _ever _need!"

"Never mind the fact that they wouldn't even need _him _to do that," Toji smirked. Resulting in a pained winced and from their resident otaku. "And as for why we can trust them…"

"Yes?" Hikari prodded, looking hard at the boy. Searching for any indication that he had less than honorable reasons for nominating two girls that she was apparently unaware for membership of the Brigade.

This time it was Toji's turn to hesitate. The boy frowned somewhat, looking away as he sat back. "Well…let's just say that they aren't real big fans of NERV, either."

"Why's that?" Shinji wondered.

"Uh…" Toji faltered, his frown deepening. He finally shrugged, and looked straight at his friend. "Well, it's actually a long story and…we kinda promised them we wouldn't tell anyone about it."

Seeing an increase in suspiciousness from his friends, Kensuke waved his hands in negation. "Now, don't get us wrong! We never said word one about the Brigade to either of them!" he swore. "But…they're in something of a mess themselves, and…"

"What are you talking about?" Hikari gaped, narrowing her eyes at the both of them. "Toji, Kensuke…who _are _these girls, anyway? Why would…?"

"Look!" Toji broke in, speaking with uncustomary heat. "We just…promised them, alright? The same way we promised not to tell anybody about the Brigade or about Misato-sama, okay?" With a sigh, the athletic boy swung his eyes between the friends seated before him. "We promised..."

"Oh, I understand," Shinji assured him, holding up his hands in a defensive manner. "It's just…well…"

"We have to be sure as well," Hikari told him. Doing her best not to come off as the hard, demanding class representative. Doing her best to be a friend. "Look, you're asking us to trust to complete strangers with our lives, and Misato's life as well."

"Hey, we know that! Despite what you and the Devil might think, we're not idiots!" Kensuke complained. "But I'm telling you, these girls would be a serious help to us!" Taking a moment to examine the faces of his friends, the jock then proceeded to make his case. "Look, you said we need proof that NERV sabotaged Jet Alone, right? Well, they can help us find it! Between their hackitude _and _mine…!" Pausing to shoot a sideways glare at Toji, the otaku then continued. "…we could even get into the MAGI! We could look through the NERV database itself, and get all the info we need!"

"Really?" Shinji piped up, feeling a surge of excitement well up in him.

"Shinji, hold on," Hikari cautioned him. Before Shinji could say anything to this, the pigtailed girl. "Look, I'm sure you two mean well, but think about this. You're asking us to trust a couple of complete strangers, but aside from telling us that they're good with computers and they don't like NERV, you haven't said anything else about them, or where they're from, or why they would be interested in helping us to begin with!"

Looking up at Hikari, Shinji then lowered his eyes, his mind focused on the argument being made. Finally, he looked at the other boys, his gaze firmly hardened, and frowned at the necessity of his next words. "Toji, Kensuke…I'm sorry, but Hikari is right. If you can't tell me anything else about them…"

These words rose up to the ceiling, and came to hang above the heads of both the other Stooges like twin Swords of Damocles. For untold seconds, they frowned in silence, with Toji's expression of gloom the heavier. The wheels in his mind turning so rapidly that they were practically setting each other on fire, with deep smoke clogging up his thoughts. This continued until he finally looked hard at the 3rd Child and marched over to him. Grabbing Shinji harshly by the shoulders, eliciting a pained squawk in the process, Toji knelt down and drilled him in the eyes with his own gaze. "Okay, fine! But before I say anything, you have to promise me that you won't tell _anyone_ what I'm going to tell you!"

"Huh?" Shinji started, his mouth falling open. A moment later, however, the boy regained himself. "Okay, Toji. I promise."

"You promise?" Toji asked pointedly.

"Really! I promise!" Shinji responded, this time more emphatically.

When the athletic boy turned to Hikari, she gave him an affirmative nod. "You don't have to worry about, Toji," she vowed emphatically. Then, with an impish smile, she added, "I know how to keep a secret."

Exhaling heavily through his nose, Toji fell back from Shinji. Looking over his shoulder at Kensuke, the jock seemed to be asking him if he was doing the right thing. His only answer was look of pure helplessness. One that resulted in Toji rolling his eyes skyward just before he pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefingers. Finally, he looked at his friends, who were still waiting expectantly. "Mana. That's her name," Toji finally told them with great reluctance. "Mana Kirishima…and her partner, Sid."

"Sid?" Hikari repeated blankly. "What kind of name is that?"

"Uh, the one that she was given?" Toji asked sarcastically.

"Okay, but Toji, you still haven't said why your friends – Mana and Sid – why would they want to help us?" Shinji wondered, his eyes unrelentingly focused on his friend. "And what do they have against NERV?"

Realizing that Toji was still struggling with this, Kensuke looked apologetically at the others. "It's because of Mana's father," Kensuke explained gingerly, once again glancing at his athletic friend. "He…was murdered."

Of all the things Shinji could have imagined his friend saying, this wasn't one of them. And it quickly became clear that Hikari felt similarly. "Murdered…?" the pigtailed girl gasped lowly.

Kensuke nodded slowly to this. "According to her and Sid, NERV sent a bunch of creeps to their home," the otaku explained grimly. "They killed her father, trashed the entire place. The two of them barely got out of there alive."

"What…?" Shinji started, gazing in disbelief at his friend. "But…why would Father…?"

"It's because her father had something NERV wanted, and they killed him trying to get it!" Toji got out. Seeing Shinji open his mouth, the jock stopped him with a scowl. "Please, don't ask us anything else, Shinji! We shouldn't have even told you this much!"

"That's for sure!" Kensuke agreed, paling at the thought. "Seriously, if Mana finds out about it, it'll be our butts on the line!"

"Shinji…I know we're asking a lot here, but Mana…she and Sid could really help us!" Toji pleaded. Then, with a look of dangerous excitement, he grinned, "And if we can get the goods on NERV, then we'll be able to help them as well!"

"Toji…" Hikari got out, stunned by the determination her crush was displaying. Frowning in confusion, she lowered her gaze to the floor, only to look at Shinji and ask, "What do you think?"

Shinji didn't say anything at first. Instead, he just sat there, weighing the potential gains against the probable risks. On the one hand, he didn't want to entrust just anyone with these secrets, and the more people that got involved with the Brigade, the more people were at risk if NERV learned of what they were doing. At the same time, however, Shinji couldn't lie to himself. He knew that if they were going to help Misato, find out exactly what NERV was doing, then they would need every possible advantage they could get.

_Still…I don't know. What if they say no, or…maybe they aren't as good as…or what if they…? _Shinji thought worriedly. His tormented mind already feeding him with every worst-case scenario his subconscious could conjure up. Pessimism at one side, doubt at his other. Telling him to give up, for the simple reason that everything in his life would end in futility. This would be no different.

But even as these inner demons were whispering their cruelties into Shinji's ear, something else appeared in his mind. A face. A smile. A woman. And all the memories he had of her kindness, her bravery. Of her placing her life on the line for people she did not know, enduring the monster that now shared her body for the sake of others…and for showing Shinji, for the first time in his entire life, what it was like to be truly loved.

As these and more images of Misato came to the fore, chasing away the demons that haunted him, Shinji felt his heart pounding with determination _I won't run away...I _can't _run away,_ he growled within his mind. _Misato didn't run away…and I won't either. _Then, even as thinking of her brought Shinji new courage, the memories of Misato and how she dealt with such situations came to the fore. How she had taken one impossible situation after another, and found a way to turn certain defeat into overwhelming victory. Every single time, she had analyzed the situation, taken what she had to work with, and found a way to win.

His features hardening with increasing intensity, Shinji looked up at his friends. "Toji…do you think you could get Mana to meet with me?" he asked, channeling as much conviction as he could into his voice. "I…don't think I should try and talk to her over the phone, and…"

"Mana and Sid? Talk on the phone? Yeah, right! Those two are even more paranoid than Kensuke here!" Toji grinned, jerking his thumb in the otaku's direction. While Kensuke letting loose with an indignant grumble, the jock frowned seriously. "Well…it might take a while. Like I said, they have reasons to be cautious."

"That's okay," Shinji nodded. "Just…do what you can, okay?"

"Will do, Shin-man! Just leave it to us," Toji grinned, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Thanks, you guys," Shinji smiled somberly. Then he heaved a deep breath before standing. "Well, if there isn't anything else, I better get going. I was planning on checking on Misato before going home, and…"

"Hey, no problem! We understand!" Kensuke replied. Smiling in what Shinji supposed was intended to be a sly manner.

"Yeah, sure! After all, anything's better than having to deal with the Devil!" Toji grinned. He then gave a full-body shudder, wrapping his arms about his body. "Ugh! Just the thought of it gives me the creeps!"

"Toji, don't call her a Devil!" Hikari protested vehemently. "That's my best friend you're talking about!"

"Uh, right. Whatever you say, class rep," Toji grumbled. Then, just loud enough to be heard, he added, "Though personally, I don't know if that says more about you or her…"

"Toji Suzuhara…!" Hikari growled, standing up and glaring doom at her crush. The meeting of the Brigade quickly turning from plotting and planning into a mindless shouting match. Leaving Shinji caught in the crossfire, holding his hands to his ears.

* * *

"Mm-mmm," Kaji grinned, taking in the view before him. "I swear, Katsuragi, you get even lovelier every time I look at you."

A mild grunt was Misato's only answer. All she could muster enough breath for even as lesser grunts escaped her lips as she exerted herself. Sweat rolling down her shapely form as she pushed herself on the exercise bike she was presently riding. Just one of several pieces of aerobic equipment that had found its way down into her quarters in recent times.

"Just watching you move like that…only you could make sweat look that sexy," Kaji went on, still grinning that same idiotic grin that Misato had seen him wearing in college.

"Watch it, jerk!" Misato grinned beneath her breath. Then, taking in an especially large double-lungful, she looked dangerously at the man she had so readily succumbed to years ago. "Do you want to piss me off? Because we _both _know you won't like me when I'm pissed off!" Much to her annoyance, Kaji just chuckled beneath his breath at this, completely disregarding the fact that she was fully capable of launching him through several roofs, if the mood took her. "So, would you mind telling me what you're doing here, anyway? I'm kinda busy right now!"

"So I noticed," Kaji nodded thoughtfully. "Well, Ritsuko told me about your…special request. So I decided to stop by and see for myself."

Snorting lightly, Misato finally decided that talking to Kaji and exercising demanded too much breath for her to do both effectively at the same time. And giving the sheer amount of sweat marking her skin, she decided she'd put in enough work for the time being. So she slowly got off the exercise bike, taking the towel that was draped around her neck and began mopping her face with it. "What, are you surprised I decided to do something good for my health? Is that it?"

"Well, no. Not really," Kaji replied with the usual amount of boyish charm he applied to his words. Moving closer to Misato, he angled his gaze so that it focused on her face. "Actually, I just wanted to see how you're doing, that's all." Giving her ex a sideways glance, the purple-haired woman saw him shrug in the devil-may-care manner of his. "Hey, is there something wrong with wanting to look on a close, personal friend of mine?"

"Not at all," Misato returned as she moved to the projection unit mounted near the exercise bike. With a flick of the switch, she dismissed the image of a winding road moving past, and the limited illusion that she was enjoying the outside world. This done, she shot her former boyfriend an impish smile. "So, where is this friend of yours? I'd like to meet him!"

"Ooh, ouch!" Kaji groaned in mock-horror, placing his hand over his heart. "Just how many spears are you going to shove into me, Katsuragi?"

"Just enough to encourage you to grow up a bit," Misato smirked. "Of course, in your case, that's probably going to take at least a couple hundred or so, but…"

Shaking his head irreverently, Kaji rolled his eyes before saying, "Well, some things in life are worth a little pain. Like you, for instance."

Doing her best to ignore her former lover, Misato moved to the small kitchen that was now her living quarters and began rummaging about in the refrigerator. A bit of searching soon rewarded her with a can of juice, which she quickly popped open and began chugging it down. "Wow, you certainly _have _changed, Katsuragi," Kaji noted playfully, almost causing the target of his words to choke on her drink. "I thought you would have preferred to have something a bit stronger after such a serious workout."

"Yeah, well, let's just say I had to make a deal with Rits," Misato grumbled. For although she appreciated the liquid refreshment, she would have also preferred something a bit stronger as well.

"Oh? And what sort of deal might that be?" Kaji wondered.

"Simple. She gets me the workout equipment I asked for, and I agree to improve my diet," Misato grumbled, taking another deep chug of her juice. After emptying the can, she gave it a grumpy look. "Then she went on to lecture me on how alcohol dehydrates the body. And that physical stress like that could only cause problems, make me more temperamental, and then…"

"In other words, she inundated you with details until you decided it wasn't worth arguing with her," Kaji gathered as she tossed the can into the trash. Laughing beneath his breath, the unshaven man asked, "And what about your new workout outfit? Was that part of the deal?"

"What? This thing?" Misato asked as she looked down at her current garment. It was a two piece outfit that consisted of a very tight purple top and matching shorts that left plenty of skin exposed, and what it covered up, it accentuated more than it disguised. Added to this was a set of white head and wrist bands. "Well, I didn't have anything that really seemed appropriate for this sort of thing, so I asked Ritsuko to pick up a few things for me." She raised a purple eyebrow at her ex-lover. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing," Kaji lied, his own smile deepening. "I was just thinking that it's too bad that you didn't wear anything like that back in college. It would have made for some _very _interesting parties."

Blinking slowly at Kaji, Misato lowered her eyes somewhat. "You know why I couldn't wear something like this back then," she told him bitterly, her right hand moving of its own accord. Tracing a line beneath her right breast that had once been marked by pain and trauma. Marked by a scar that had been just one of the many prices she had paid for surviving Second Impact. "You of all people should know _that_."

As Kaji looked at the spot where the Major's hand lay, the point of her body where there was only perfect, unblemished flesh to be seen, his eyes widened, then narrowed, as if he was only just seeing that portion of her body for the first time. "What the…?" he started, only to look from her exposed abdomen up to her face. "How…when did that…?"

Smiling a hollow smile, Misato answered, "Well, considering the way this…this thing of mine heals, I'm guessing that the first time that…that I changed…it got rid of…this…" Her hand falling away from where the scar had once been, the Major started away from her ex-boyfriend, and headed towards a full-length mirror that stood on one side of her dwelling. A mirror that now caught her image, and showed her the perfection of unmarred skin as well. "With everything that…that's been happening, I didn't even notice it was gone until…well…" A tinge of humiliation colored her cheeks before she admitted, "Until after I was moved in here."

"I see," Kaji replied. Gingerly closing in on her from behind, making sure that Misato could see his approach in the mirror, he came and placed his hand upon her shoulder. "Funny. You don't sound too happy about it."

"What's to be happy about?" Misato wondered, looking at the spot on her body that had once been a symbol for all the pain, misery, and shame brought about by Second Impact. By both the devastation caused by the Angels…and her own mixed feelings regarding the man that had saved her life.

Smiling tenderly in the mirror, Kaji slowly eased his arms about Misato's frame. "Well, considering the things you did to hide it – even from me – I thought you'd be glad to be rid of it."

"Yeah, and in its place, I get a brain-dead monster doing a timeshare with my body," Misato grumbled, too lost in thought to protest Kaji's closeness. "Not such a great tradeoff, is it?"

"No, I suppose not," Kaji admitted, drawing himself even closer. "Still, I'm sure things will work out, Katsuragi."

"And what makes you so certain of that?" Misato asked him, shivering at his closeness. A shiver that was part anticipation…and part revulsion.

"Because you're a survivor, of course," Kaji answered simply, his breath sliding across Misato's bare neck. "And if comes down to the two of you, you know I'm going to be betting on you. Not some brainless bimbo."

Snorting a laugh, Misato turned to eye her ex. "And here I thought brainless bimbos were your…" was all she managed to get before she found Kaji's lips squarely planted upon her own. A muffled squeak was the only sound she was able to make as the unshaven man moved his hands about her body, fingering sensitive points that only he knew about. His ministrations quickly triggering a ripple of pleasure in her.

Pleasure that was quickly followed by shame. Shame at how easy it was for Kaji to press her buttons, and for how easy it was for Misato to _let _him do so. Shame at the way their relationship had began, and for the pain and memories that caused her to end it.

And now there was something else. Shame because of sense of betrayal. A memory that was already so precious to her, and one that was being soiled by how easily she was surrendering to the past, and her own hideous need and loneliness.

"Stop it…" Misato whimpered. Too many things too close to the surface cutting into her heart, leaving her caught between love and loathing as Kaji twisted her about, not breaking away from her. His hands finding all the right places that he had discovered over the course of that week in which they consummated their relationship. The feel of his expert touch resulting in twin waves of rapture and revulsion in Misato.

It quickly became too much for Misato to handle. The horror of her transformation and her subsequent incarceration had left her mostly cut off from the world. And despite the visits from Shinji and others, the desperate loneliness that was such a part of her had gotten worse with each passing day. Leaving her vulnerable, and wanting. So terribly alone and hurting. But even as this need urged her to surrender to the inevitable, there was a sickness in her heart that wanted her to refuse this. To refuse all the pain and heartbreak that she knew would result from being close to this man once again.

As these things mounted up, they gave way to another emotion. A deep, abiding hatred, a loathing Misato held for herself and her own weakness. The anger she felt at how she had run away from her father's memory, run away from Kaji, at all the things she had done to soil herself. It was like she was looking at herself from the outside, clenching her fists and staring at both the weak woman who was allowing herself to once again be captivated, as well as the man doing the captivating, who had brought her such poisoned memories. Looking and watching, and wanting to smash both the people before her.

_Smash…_ hissed a deadly voice within the back of Misato's mind. A voice that surprised her with its strength and hatred. Her eyes flying open, the purple-haired woman twisted about in Kaji's arms, brought both of her hands to his chest and shoved him away.

"You damned idiot! Don't you _dare _try that again!" Misato spat out, staring in horror at the man she had given herself to so long ago.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Kaji asked with a wounded pout. "Weren't you enjoying yourself?"

Misato didn't answer right away. All she could do was stand there, listening to her heart pound furiously, feeling the storm of emotions that still raged within her threaten to send her blood into a boil. Fully aware that it would take very little to tip the balance, and allow the beast within to rise up and vent its fury. To take this man who symbolized so much of herself that she was ashamed of and smash him. To crush and break and toss him aside, to keep the past and all the pain that came with it from torturing her again.

A part of her wanted to do that. Wanted it _very_ badly.

While the rational part of Misato's mind was trying remind her that the safety features of her gilded cage would flood the place with sleeping gas and stop the monster within before it could do anything but ruin more of her clothes and perhaps some of the niceties she had been afforded, the door buzzer was heard, shortly followed by the intercom. "Misato?" came another familiar voice, this one not tied to all the shame that the purple-haired woman associated with the past. "It's me, Ritsuko? Can I come in?"

"Sure! Go right ahead!" Misato barked. Eager for something, _anything, _to distract her from her quandary. And the monster that was so eager to be released.

With a creaking that betrayed its weight, the door slid open, allowing NERV's Head Scientist through. "Oh, Kaji! I didn't know you were here!" Ritsuko beamed, smiling at her old friend. A smile that soon turned devious as she studied the both of them. "Am I…interrupting something?"

"No," Misato told her pointedly, trying very hard to avoid growling. "In fact, he was just leaving," she added, looking and most definitely growling at her former lover. "Weren't you, Kaji?"

Though Misato didn't have a mirror handy, she was willing to guess that her eyes must have at least flashed green. The fact that Kaji quickly paled a couple shades was proof positive of this. "Well, if you say so," the unshaven man shrugged, mustering all the cool he could. Turning to move away, he gave Misato one last look over his shoulder. "Of course, if you ever want to pick up where we left off…"

"Hmph. Fat chance of _that, _asshole!" Misato snarled, folding her arms across her chest.

"And a pleasure to see you, too, Ritsy-poo," Kaji grinned, playfully saluting the faux-blonde before exiting the secure apartment.

"Likewise," Ritsuko sighed. As soon as the door was once again securely shut and locked, the doctor looked over at her friend, and arched an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know what _almost _happened here?"

"Not really, no," Misato grumbled simply. Then she took a quick look at the kit in Ritsuko's hand, and rolled her eyes. "So, I'm guessing this isn't just a social call, is it?"

"'Fraid not," Ritsuko returned with a shake of her head. Moving to the dinner table, the doctor set the kit down and opened it up. "I have to take some more blood samples."

"Oh, great," Misato groaned, rolling her eyes in dismay. "Just how much blood have you vampired from me, anyway? You must have enough to start your own blood bank by now!"

Laughing at this, Ritsuko prepped a syringe to do its dirty work. "It's nice to see you've managed to keep your sense of humor down here," the faux-blonde noted. Then she eyed Misato's condition, as well as her sweat-soaked clothes. "And I see we're actually using the exercise equipment, too! Will miracles never cease?"

"What, you don't think I asked you bring me this stuff, just so I can let it sit around and gather dust?" Misato grumbled as she moved towards the sofa. Crashing down on the furniture with remarkably bad grace, she watched as her best friend once again prepared to use her as a pin cushion.

"No, but I will admit that I'm a bit surprised," Ritsuko admitted as she walked over to her friend's side. Knowing how this routine went, Misato grumbled slightly as she held out her arm, which the faux-blonde quickly moved to disinfect. "I thought you hated working out."

"Who has time to work out when you're up to your ass in bureaucratic bull?" Misato wondered, only to grunt as her friend stuck the needle in and began extracting blood. "It's not like you're in the same shape you were in back in college, either, Rits!"

Snorting at this, the faux-blonde smiled wearily at this. "I guess you've got me there," she conceded. Then she shot her friend a dangerous glare and added, "Though if I were you, I'd be a bit more careful with those kind of remarks. Unless you want to me to add some _other _tests to your regime?"

Some of the blood drained from Misato's face as she looked at her friend. "You wouldn't dare…"

"In fact, I'm sure I could think of several reasons the Commander might accept as to why a full, in-depth examination would be extremely useful in your treatment," Ritsuko told her in dangerous fashion. "Vaginal examinations, probes of your lungs and digestive system. And maybe even a…"

"Okay! Okay! I get the idea!" Misato protested, raising her free hand in emphasis. "Geez, you don't have to get nasty on me!"

"This from Bitch Katsuragi? The woman who personally transferred at least a dozen people to Maintenance Team 13 for gross incompetence?" Ritsuko teased as she withdrew the filled syringe.

"Well, I wouldn't have to do something like that if NERV didn't hire so many gross incompetents!" Misato sniffed defensively. "Those idiots aren't so much the Unluckies as they are Unusables!"

"Whatever you say, Misato," Ritsuko countered, shaking her head in amusement. With expert precision, the scientist cleaned up the slight opening in Misato's skin and bandaged it. "There. That should take care of that," she commented with a sense of professional satisfaction. Soon, the syringe was safely back in its kit, and the doctor looked back at her friend. "I have some more things to take care of right now, but I'll be back later to check in on you. Maybe have a drink or two."

"Uh, wait. Ritsuko? There's something else I wanted to ask you," Misato asked, getting to her feet. "What about those other tests I asked about?" The faux-blonde gave her a puzzled look, resulting in a weary sigh from Misato. "You know. The neuro-analyses or whatever it is you call them?" As soon as these words were spoken, Ritsuko heaved a wearied sigh, one that the purple-haired woman knew from their college days. Knew, and didn't like. "What is it?"

"Misato…don't you understand what you're asking me?" Ritsuko asked nervously.

"Of course I do," Misato informed her with absolute certainty.

"Do you?" Ritsuko asked pointedly. "Because I'm not so sure." Pressing her lips into a steely frown, NERV's resident mad scientist studied her friend carefully. "The kind of tests you're asking me to run…in order for them to be any good, they'd have to be done in your She-Hulk state."

"Don't you think I know that?" Misato grumbled incredulously. "I might not have all those fancy degrees that you have, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, but I do know how to think!"

"Then you should know that what you're asking of me is _impossible!_" Ritsuko told her flatly. She held up her hands before Misato could even speak a single word of protest. "Look, we had a hard enough time running the physical evaluations on you before! But in order to conduct the in-depth readings you're asking us to do, not only would we have to force you to transform, but we'd have convince She-Hulk to sit still for at least six or seven tests that are bound to annoy her. And in case you've forgotten, she doesn't take very kindly to being annoyed!"

"I haven't forgotten anything," Misato retorted gruffly. "And yes, you already told me that the A-10 clips aren't enough on their own for that sort of thing, but…!"

"But nothing!" Ritsuko cut her off. As she continued to stand there and look at her friend, the faux-blonde's expression slowly melted from irritation to restrained sympathy. "Look, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you have to remember that our budget has already been hit pretty hard by dealing with this thing! The damage She-Hulk's caused, the testing…!"

"I haven't forgotten any of that," Misato informed her, letting out a resigned groan as she saw where this was going.

"Good," Ritsuko nodded somberly. "Then you'll understand why Commander Ikari has already…denied your request."

Her eyes bulging out of their sockets, sparks of green shining in them, Misato leapt to her feet. "He _what?_" the Major cried out. "But Ritsuko, I'm telling you! Something has _changed _with this thing! I could actually _remember_ what I was doing while I was transformed! And Shinji, he said she was acting differently during the battle!"

"I know! He told me all about it," Ritsuko informed her, thinking back to when they had been retrieved after the battle. Then she gave her friend a wry curl of her lip. "And Commander Ikari had a few things to say about it, too."

Looking at her friend with an air of confusion, Misato then groaned before bring her hand to her forehead. "Aw, damn. I forgot about that part."

"Then you'd probably be the only one who has," Ritsuko commented. Unable to help herself, the faux-blonde snickered in memory. "Do you know I saw the words 'Ugly Bastard Man' written just outside one of the men's bathrooms?"

Ritsuko's laughter grew more intense as Misato slumped forward, shaking her head in disbelief. "I guess he wasn't too happy about that," the Major groaned.

"I'd say that's a good guess," Ritsuko replied, just before she let her mirth slide away. "But in any case, the Commander made it clear that no further testing involving She-Hulk was to take place, unless it was it somehow vital to perfecting your treatment."

Heaving a disgusted groan, Misato fell back into her seat, shaking her head miserably. "I don't believe this…"

"I do," Ritsuko countered, to which Misato leveled a look of pure betrayal. "Misato, think about it. We've already got a possible cure in the works, and considering the amount of trouble She-Hulk has already caused, we don't want to give her the chance to wreck anything else." When this failed to soothe her friend, the doctor shrugged. "And the sooner you're cured, the sooner you get your life back."

Brows furrowed with irritation, Misato tried again. "I know, that, but…"

"Besides, I already told Maya that we're almost ready to make the attempt," Ritsuko informed her wearily. "And I have to be honest with you, she's barely holding on as it is!"

"She's having that much trouble, huh?" Misato gathered.

"Trouble? Misato, she's started drinking even more than _you _do," Ritsuko told her, resulting in a disbelieving chuckle from her friend. Irritably, the doctor growled, "I'm serious, Misato! Just the other day, she came to work half-drunk!"

"What?" Misato got out, her laughter cut short. Blinking away her confusion, she narrowed her eyes at Ritsuko. "Are we talking about the same Maya here?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Ritsuko confessed, giving a shake of her dyed tresses. "Damn, I'm starting to wish I'd never recommended her for your position. I never thought she'd have such a hard time with it!"

Frowning in thought, Misato looked imploringly at her friend. "Look, I know that things have been pretty tough around her, Rits. And I realize that the budget's tight, but…can't you try and pull a few strings?" she pleaded. When an annoyed grunt was Ritsuko's answer, the Major shook her head in mounting frustration. "Couldn't you at least get me a set of A-10 clips? Set them up to record whatever happens to me? You know, just in case…?"

"No. And I'm going to tell you why," Ritsuko told her, invoking the voice of authority. "I'm not going to do that because I know you too well, Misato. Because when you decide to do something, you don't let anything stand in your way of doing it. And I know that the very day that I gave you those clips, you'd do something stupid and provoke a transformation, all so that we could record whatever it is you think is going on in that thing's head."

A frustrated snarl echoing in her throat, Misato sat back in her seat and threw her arms across her chest. "Damn. My reputation is killing me."

"Look, just think of it this way. Another two weeks or so, and you'll probably be cured and out of here," Ritsuko told her comfortingly. "Then you _and _Maya can go back to your lives."

"And I'm sure you're really looking forward to having Maya back in prime condition, aren't you, Rits?" Misato grumbled, a hint of her usual mischief in her words. Smiling victoriously as Ritsuko threw back her head in disgust, the Major closed in for the kill. "Well, I can't say I blame you. After all, if it came down to a choice between her and Gendo, I know which one _I'd _choose!"

"Misato…" Ritsuko growled warningly, waving a finger in her friend's face. When Misato just snickered even more loudly, the doctor let out an exasperated groan and gave up trying to shame her friend. "Look, I have to get going. I still have to do the MAGI's checkup today, not to mention all the experimentation we have to do for your treatment."

"Alright," Misato nodded, just before she stood from her seat. "As for me, I better get showered. Shinji's gonna be bringing me some more supplies later, and I'd rather not smell like a sweat sock when he gets here."

"I see," Ritsuko purred, eyeing her friend deviously as she immodestly shucked her top and let it fall to the floor. "A quiet dinner for two, then?" When Misato turned and gave her friend a look of patent annoyance, the faux-blonde just laughed. "Hey, fair's fair, right? Or don't you think I've heard about how the medical team found you and Shinji that day?"

Snorting at this, Misato flashed a nasty grin. "Well, what's so wrong with that? I'm sure he's a lot better at what he does than Gendo," she taunted, enjoying the sour expression that instantly spread across Ritsuko's face. "And the things he does with his hands…"

"Uck! Only _you _could think of something so disgusting! I -!" Ritsuko started, only to trail off in confusion as Misato frowned. The purple-haired woman then looked about, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "What is it?" the doctor asked as her friend folded her arms across her chest. "Don't tell me that you're actually _ashamed _to go parading around naked?"

Misato didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked about her surroundings a few more times before focusing on her friend. "Ritsuko…those cameras you had in here…they aren't on, are they?"

"What?" Ritsuko asked, only to shake her head. "No, of course not! The cameras are rigged so as to come online only where it looks like you're transforming!" Despite her words, however, Misato was not dissuaded. She continued to scrutinize her surroundings, suspicion etched into her face. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Oh…I don't know," Misato grumbled, finally throwing up her arms in defeat. "It's just…"

"Just what?" Ritsuko prodded worriedly.

"Suddenly, I…I had this feeling like…I was being watched," Misato finally confessed. "And just a minute ago, I could have sworn I heard people…laughing."

"People?" Ritsuko wondered. She then frowned at the potential implications. "You mean…you heard _her?_"

Misato shook her head to this. "No. There was more than one voice. A lot more. Hundreds…maybe even more," she confessed worriedly.

Her mouth falling slightly open, Ritsuko then closed it and gave her friend a look of patent annoyance. "Nice try, Misato," the doctor scolded her, to which the Major made a questioning sound. "Trying to get me curious enough to order some more tests, are you?"

At these words, Misato's face fell in astonished disbelief. "_What?_" the Major cried out, her jaw clattering to the floor. She quickly recovered, and threw up her arms in disgust. "Oh, great, Rits! Thanks for taking me so _seriously!"_ When Ritsuko answered her with laughter, Misato loudly stomped off. Unable to shake the feeling that she heard other voices laughing as well.

* * *

"Hello, there, Captain!" Chihiro piped up in her usual cheerful manner as she approached.

"Oh, hello, Chihiro," Maya replied wearily as she turned about in her seat. Now facing her successor, the current Operations Director watched as the long-haired woman approached with a steaming mug and a file folder in hand. "And what do you have there?"

"Just a couple items I think you'll be needing," Chihiro explained with smile. "The results of the MAGI's latest checkup, and a cup of coffee to see you through the rest of the evening."

"Oh, thank you!" Maya replied, accepting both items. Taking a careful sip of the coffee and finding it warm enough to be tolerable, the young Captain looked at the paperwork in her hands. "So, I take it there weren't any problems?"

"Not so much as a tiny bug in there," Chihiro assured her. "Not that we expected any, of course. Not with Dr. Akagi taking care of things." The Lieutenant leaned in closer, and looked conspiratorially at her superior. "She really is a genius. To be honest, I never would have believed that anyone could possibly do everything she does, and in so little time."

"I know," Maya nodded with a sad fondness. And feeling not just a little envy for the woman standing before her.

"You know, I can't thank you enough for giving me this promotion," Chihiro went on, completely without care. "I don't think I would ever have had a chance to be a part of something so…incredible without your support."

Feeling a nasty shade of envious green spreading through her insides, Maya forced a pleasant look to remain on her face. "It's no problem, Chihiro," she spoke as earnestly as she could. "After all, with your record…you were the obvious choice."

"Still, thank you so much for this," Chihiro went on. "If there's anything I can do for you, anything at all…"

_Try shutting up about how great my job is? _Maya retorted inwardly, her mental voice far more spiteful than she would have liked. _I already know that part! Having you remind me about it isn't going to make these next two weeks pass any faster!_

Fortunately for Maya's sanity, Chihiro was denied the opportunity to speak any further by the approach of another. "Captain Ibuki, Lieutenant Mifune, would you come with me?" requested Sub Commander Fuyutsuki. The old professor's manner showing that this wasn't a request, but an order.

"Yes, sir," Maya returned as she got to her feet. Her words quickly second by Chihiro, the two woman followed Fuyutsuki as he led them over to the main portion of the bridge, where Shigeru and Makoto were already hard at work.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Chihiro wondered casually.

"We've detected some anomalies in the pribnow box," Fuyutsuki explained tersely. "The 87th Protein Wall is showing signs of deterioration."

"The 87th Protein Wall?" Maya wondered, looking incredulously at the Sub Commander. "But that hasn't even been completed yet! How could that have happened?"

"That's what we're presently trying to determine," Fuyutsuki informed them. "Lieutenant Mifune, take your station. Captain Ibuki, please contact Dr. Akagi."

"Yes, sir," Maya nodded. Moving over to Shigeru's side, she scrutinized his display. "Any idea what's causing the problem?"

"Not yet," Shigeru replied tersely as he worked his controls. Within moments, the main holographic display shifted to show an incomplete hallway elsewhere within NERV. Where the metal plates ended, a hideous purple mass discolored the green metal. "See? We can see it with magnification, but the MAGI haven't been able to identify the cause of the problem."

"It can't be corrosion!" Makoto protested as he tried to analyze the effected section of the B-Wing. "Those plates were just installed yesterday! There's no way it can be deteriorating this fast!"

"But what could be causing it?" Shigeru wondered.

"It doesn't matter what's causing it," Fuyutsuki declared, hands folded behind his back. "All that matters is fixing the problem. Preferably as quickly as possible."

"Wait, sir," Maya cautioned, looking intently at the image displayed. Her scientific curiosity aroused by the anomalous substance growing before her eyes. "We should probably conduct a closer examination of the corrosion, find out what caused it." Tearing her eyes away from the display, the Captain took on an air of professionalism that had been somewhat lacking in her for some time. "If this part of B-Wing is corroding so quickly, then there's no telling what's happening elsewhere."

"She has a point, sir," Chihiro pointed out. "It sure doesn't do us a lot of good to take care of one problem if we've got a dozen more problems getting ready to jump in our laps!"

His expression tensing with displeasure, Fuyutsuki seemed to consider this for a time. "Very well, then," the old professor finally decided. "Just be sure to take care of this as quickly as possible."

"Yes, sir. I'll contact Dr. Akagi," Maya told him, to which Fuyutsuki raised a questioning eyebrow. "We could use her opinion on…whatever this thing is, sir."

Fuyutsuki seemed satisfied with this explanation, and so turned and left them to their duties without further comment. Leaving Maya smiling in deep satisfaction as she studied the foreign substance shown before her, a thrill of excitement shooting through her veins. For before her wasn't some hateful pile of paperwork, waiting to make her life miserable. Not some Angel out to obliterate the entire world. It was just some harmless anomaly, a form of corrosion that was unknown to her. A scientific curiosity.

After all the time she had spent trudging through the red tape that was spun about the title of Operations Director, Maya was practically salivating at the chance to challenge her mind, rather than put it to sleep.

Apparently, some malevolent deity of ancient times was reading Maya's mind, and decided to have some fun at her expense. For as soon as this thought had run its course, the young woman's ears were filled with the hideous sound of the alarms. "What's happening?" Maya shouted as she threw back her head. The young woman looked wildly about, trying to figure what had caused them to go off.

"We're picking up further contamination! This time it's on the 8th floor of the Sigma Unit!" Chihiro reported worriedly. "There's an abnormality in 6th Pipe!"

"It's spreading through the Protein Wall like crazy!" Makoto reported, his eyes widening fearfully increasing. "At this rate, the entire thing will be contaminated in no time!"

"This can't be just some form of corrosion!" Maya declared, still relatively unworried. Her scientific mind already shifting into overdrive, trying to decipher the nature of this intruder from the scant number of clues available. "The way it's spreading…it's acting more like some kind of infection!"

"Whatever it is, it's not stopping for anything!" Shigeru announced, sweat rolling down his face. "I've already had to shut off all flows running through the 6th Pipe system, and this thing is still spreading! It's almost gotten to the pribnow box itself!"

The instant these words were spoken, Maya considered their import. "Wait a minute. Didn't we install defense robots in the box? In case there was a problem with the simulation bodies?"

"That's right," Fuyutsuki nodded, grasping Maya's thinking. "And unless I'm mistaken, the polysomes should already fully functional."

"Then bring them online," Maya ordered, leaning in closer to study the holographic display. "As soon as the corrosion reaches the box, have them open fire on it. Maximum power."

"Do you really think that will stop it, ma'am?" Chihiro wondered.

"No, but it should give us a better idea of what we're dealing with here," Maya explained carefully, already waiting for the moment of truth. Unconsciously leaning ever closer to the display, as if doing so would enable her to see the exact moment the contaminants appeared.

Maya was jarred from this stance when Makoto cried out in horror. "Oh, no! The corrosion has gotten into the simulation bodies' active water system! They're being infected as well!"

"The contamination has reached the wall!" Shigeru shouted.

"Quick! Cut off the flow to the simulation bodies!" Maya ordered. "Open fire on the far wall!"

These words soon became action, and beams of deadly light lanced out at the effected wall. Only to deflected harmlessly by a wall of orange light. Light that sent Maya's stomach plummeting into the abyss.

"No…" Maya gasped out, scientific curiosity replaced by horror. "It can't be…an _Angel?"_

"An Angel?" Fuyutsuki barked out. Maya looked in his direction, and saw him marching towards them with clouds of doom hanging over his head. "Are you sure?"

"I'm afraid so, sir!" Chihiro piped up from her station. Maya's old position. "Pattern analysis confirms it!"

At these words, Fuyutsuki turned his wrathful gaze towards Maya. "I don't believe this! You let an _Angel_ get inside NERV Headquarters?"

On the verge of panic from these words, Maya found herself almost falling to her knees. Wanting nothing more than to tell him that it wasn't her fault, that it simply couldn't be her fault. Instead, all she could manage to stammer out was, "I…but I -!"

"Dammit! I don't have time for this!" Fuyutsuki declared before focusing his gaze elsewhere. "Cut off Central Dogma immediately! We can't let this thing get to us!"

"Yes, sir!" Shigeru responded instantly.

Still stunned by everything that had happened, by how quickly everything had gone wrong, and how easily the blame for it had landed on her shoulders, Maya looked helplessly at Fuyutsuki. "Um…Commander?" she began carefully, unwilling to subject herself to his wrath once again. "Shouldn't we alert the Major as to what's happening?" When the old professor narrowed his eyes at her, Maya squirmed beneath his gaze. "I mean, seeing how sensitive she is to Angelic powers, I just thought…"

A disgusted sound echoing in his throat, Fuyutsuki considered her words. "Very well," he finally decided. "Get her briefed, but make sure that she's aware that she should remain _calm!_ The last thing we need is a visit from She-Hulk to make things even worse!"

"Yes, sir!" Maya replied. Without hesitation, the younger woman went over to the nearest available station and opened the appropriate channel. "Major Katsuragi? Can you…?"

"Maya! Thank _god!_ I was hoping someone would call!" came Misato's voice the instant the link was established. Suddenly, a hologram holding the Major's image shimmered into existence before Maya's face, an image with such intensity that the younger woman was momentarily driven back by it. "Listen, you have to help me out here! I think there's an Angel on the base!"

"We know. We just detected it," Maya informed her, fear dripping from every word she spoke.

"Just now?" Misato cried out in horror. Shaking her head in frustration, the Major growled, "Dammit! I've been sensing the damn thing for the past fifteen minutes!"

"You have?" Maya squawked. She was about to ask why Misato hadn't contacted anybody, only to remember why. Because she couldn't. Because her quarters had been set up with maximum security and secrecy in mind, and Commander Ikari didn't want to take the chance of Misato, whether under the influence of the booze or simply desperate for contact, accidentally contacting someone who shouldn't know of her presence. As a result, he had arranged so that her com-system was set up so that it could receive calls, not send them.

Wishing that she had the nerve to tell Commander Ikari exactly what she thought of this particular arrangement, Maya forced herself to get down to business. As quickly as she could, she gave Misato all the information they presently had on it. "We're trying to seal it off from Central Dogma, but we haven't come up with any way to stop it yet!"

"Have you called the Children?" Misato demanded.

"Not yet. We're still analyzing it," Maya returned nervously. Heaving a deep breath, the Captain tried to keep control of herself. "Look, please, just stay calm for now, okay? As soon as we have more information, we'll let you know."

Heaving a deep breath, Misato's face tightened into an expression of pure battle-readiness. "Alright," she finally said. "Just do me a favor and keep me posted." Then her face split into an expression of feral eagerness. "And be sure to let me know if there's anything me or Greenie can do to help out!"

"We will," Maya nodded before breaking off the signal. As soon as Misato's visage disappeared, the brunette practically sagged beneath the monstrous weight of her situation. The fact that she had already been blamed for their situation striking her like a physical blow.

_The only thing I'd like for you to do is come up here and take my place, _Maya wept woefully. _I don't care what anybody says! I'd rather be living with a monster like yours than dealing with all of this!_

* * *

Author's Notes: And here it comes, the Lilliputian Hitcher, also known as the 13th Angel! Please, read and review! And hopefully check out my other stories.

By the way, I have a question about Mari from the Rebuild movies. While I've done quite a bit of research into her character and personality, I haven't been able to find out one thing. Namely, what number Child she is. Is she the 4th Child, or the 5th, or some other designation altogether? If anybody out there knows the answer, I'd appreciate it if they were to tell me.

Mike313, the fate of Gendo will have to remain one of life's little secrets for now. Mainly because there was already a lot I wanted to get into this chapter as it was, and I wasn't in the mood to contaminate it with Bastard cooties. As for Misato and the age gap, I would think that she was already too overloaded and overwhelmed to give much thought to that sort of thing.

Quathis, I enjoyed that line of She-Hulk's as well. And let's face it; he _is _an Ugly Bastard Man!

Inque, don't worry, Shinji will definitely be getting into it with the gamma-enhanced Queen of Fan Service. It might not be for a little while yet, though. But I hope to make that event worth the wait.

Omake 1

"Well, that's the last of it!" Asuka declared. The German was all decked out in a red business suit and hat, a checklist held in her hand. "The Geofront has been completely secured! Nobody goes in or out without our permission."

"The JSSDF has been taken care of as well," Rei agreed, the albino somewhat ill at ease in her white business suit. "As far as they are concerned, Commander Ikari met with a fatal accident, and Sub Commander Fuyutsuki has decided to retire."

"Good!" She-Hulk grinned, striking a provocative pose as she sat on her desk. "And what about you, Shinji-kun? How'd things go with the personnel?"

"The personnel?" Shinji repeated nervously, his hat sliding down in front of his eyes. Quickly easing it back into place, the boy looked down at his own checklist. "Well, I don't really think they'll be any problem." Then he smiled in an embarrassed manner. "In fact, most of them are celebrating, now that Father has been locked up."

"Glad to hear it!" She-Hulk grinned, her ample assets jiggling noticeably as she shifted about. "Of course, we'll have to have a formal celebration later, but that can wait!" Then she lowered her gaze dangerously before looking at the newest member of her staff. "What about you, Captain Rhino? Any difficulties with Section 2?"

"Hmph! Those little wimps? A problem?" Rhino sneered, his own business suit straining somewhat around his armor. "All I had to do was go 'ooga-booga!', and the stupid jerks looked ready to head for the hills!"

"Excellent!" She-Hulk grinned, making a big display of her exquisite legs as she swung them about before getting to her feet. "Now, I'll be honest with you. We've got plenty of work ahead of us before we can make my vision of NERV's future a reality, but all things considered, I'd say we're off to a very good start." The grey-skinned gangster then looked past the people before her. "But before we can get to that…oh, PenPen?"

Responding instantly to her call, PenPen opened the doors to the office that had once been Gendo's. Dressed to kill in his own black business suit and a Tommy gun in his claws, the warm water penguin escorted Ritsuko and Kaji in, both their hands held up high above their heads.

"Um, Katsuragi?" Kaji asked nervously, a drop of sweat rolling down his head. "Would you mind telling me what this is all about?"

"I'll be glad to, you sexist prick!" She-Hulk grinned as she strode towards them. "You see, I have something of a dilemma to take care of."

"A…dilemma?" Ritsuko wondered fearfully.

"That's right," She-Hulk agreed. "You see, considering how deep in Gendo's pockets the both of you were, I think it's pretty safe to consider you both as serious security risks." Letting this sink in for a moment, the scheming Amazon then shook her head thoughtfully. "On the other hand, Ritsuko is about the only person here with enough brains to effectively keep this place going. And Kaji, well…considering his links to SEELE and the JSSDF, we might need his help in keeping them both off our backs. So it's not like I can just get rid of either of you." Then she leaned down at them, enough so as to be look them in the eyes. "At least…not without a _very _good reason."

"Misato, wait!" Ritsuko gasped out, squirming before her college friend. "I told you! Gendo would've killed me if I didn't do what he told me to! He's killed plenty of people before, and he'd have killed me, too!"

"And besides, Ritsuko _was _the one who sabotaged Jet Alone! And I _did _bring Gendo the 1st Angel!" Kaji chimed in. "So when you think about it, if it weren't for us…"

"Then I wouldn't have become the damned sexy gamma mutant that we all know and love," She-Hulk nodded, placing her hand on the hem of her jacket. "And given all the quality time we spent together in college, it would be nice if I could make you a part of my little enterprise. Make it more like old times." Just as Ritsuko and Kaji were showing signs of relief, the gamma-enhanced mobster furrowed her brows dangerously. "On the other hand, being careless is the first step to disaster. And one thing Misato Fixit isn't, it's careless."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Ritsuko gulped fearfully.

"Long story made short? If you two want to avoid winding up in a dark, dank cell, right next to the Bastard King and the old fart, then you're going to have to pass a few…loyalty tests," She-Hulk informed them.

"Loyalty tests…?" Kaji and Ritsuko groaned as one.

"That's right. Just a few trust-building exercises to help the people here forget about all the rotten things you used to do for Gendo. And to give you an idea of what'll happen if you decide to _stop_ doing them for _me,"_ She-Hulk grinned. Then she looked past her two friends and cooed in a sing-song voice, "Oh, Maya? It's time for the kit."

"The kit…?" Ritsuko and Kaji murmured, their faces sagging with dread.

"Coming, ma'am," Maya called out playfully before she rolled into the office a cart laden with various, unidentifiable objects.

"Maya?" Ritsuko cried out, her eyes bugging out as she took in her former understudy. "What the hell happened to _you?"_

"The new Commander gave me a promotion," Maya smiled evilly, stretching out before them so that everybody could see her new outfit. Or what little there was of it.

"Hoo, baby!" Rhino cried out, drooling at the sight of Maya decked out in thigh-high leather boots, a thong bikini, and arm-length leather gloves. Completing this ensemble was a spiked collar around her neck. "And where have _you_ been all my life?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my new interrogations specialist!" She-Hulk smirked dangerously.

"Interrogations specialist?" Kaji sweat-dropped.

"That's right," Maya nodded as she took a whip in hand and cracked it meaningfully. "I'm in charge of testing you both. To make sure that you're going to play ball for Commander Fixit."

"And to punish you both if you dare disobey me," She-Hulk put in. "So…are you ready to begin?"

"I was _born _readyfor this!" Maya smirked cruelly as she went up to the prisoners. "Wouldn't you agree…sempai?"

Ritsuko's only response was to release a broken sob. With Kaji close behind.

Omake 2

"It's nice to see you've managed to keep your sense of humor down here," Ritsuko noted. Then she eyed Misato's condition, as well as her sweat-soaked clothes. "And I see we're actually using the exercise equipment, too! Will miracles never cease?"

"What, you don't think I asked you bring me this stuff, just so I can let it sit around and gather dust?" Misato grumbled as she moved towards the sofa. Crashing down on the furniture with remarkably bad grace, she watched as her best friend once again prepared to use her as a pin cushion.

"No, but I will admit that I'm a bit surprised," Ritsuko admitted as she walked over to her friend's side. Knowing how this routine went, Misato grumbled slightly as she held out her arm, which the faux-blonde quickly moved to disinfect. "I thought you hated working out."

"Who has time to work out when you're up to your ass in bureaucratic bull?" Misato wondered, only to grunt as her friend stuck the needle in and began extracting blood. "It's not like you're in the same shape you were in back in college, either, Rits!"

Snorting at this, the faux-blonde smiled wearily at this. "I guess you've got me there," she conceded. Then Ritsuko gave her friend a thoughtful look. "I mean, with all the crap Ikari has me doing every single day, it is hard to keep in top condition."

"I can't argue with you there," Misato agreed easily. Then she gave her friend a superior smirk. "Still, you might want to spend some down here as well. Don't want to get _too _flabby, or Maya might start looking in other directions!"

_"What?" _Ritsuko spat out, staring daggers at her friend.

Misato just sat there, grinning wickedly. "The truth hurts. Don't it, Rits?"

"Why, you…!" Ritsuko snarled menacingly. Just as Misato was getting ready to ladle some more playful abuse onto her friend, the faux-blonde let out a slight gasp.

"What is it?" Misato asked as Ritsuko narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Come on, I can practically smell the wood burning already! So what is it?"

Ritsuko didn't say anything at first. Instead, she held up the syringe, waving it in Misato's face. "So, you think I'm getting flabby, do you?" the doctor cooed dangerously. With practiced ease, she prepared the syringe for action. "Well, I know how to fix _that!_"

"What?" Misato got out. Then she realized her friend's intent, and waved her hand in protest. "Wait, wait! You can't do _that!"_

"Why not? After all, we're the same blood type!" Ritsuko protested. "And besides, why should you have all the fun, prancing about nude for all of our readers to drool over?"

"But you're supposed to be Spider-Woman in these stories, not another gamma-mutated heroine!" Misato protested.

"So what?" Ritsuko sneered. "I happen to know that Spider-Man has gone through all _kinds _of mutations! He even became a gamma mutant himself for a while!"

"But -!" Misato tried again. Before she could say a word, however, Ritsuko took the syringe and jabbed it between her own breasts, sending the gamma-mutated blood to mix with her own. Within seconds, the needle had been emptied, leaving Ritsuko to stand up somewhat unsteadily.

Her breathing coming rapidly, Ritsuko looked down at her hands, then at Misato, before she smiled wickedly. "Whoa…" NERV's resident mad scientist breathed, her eyes burning with green.

"Oh, crap…" Misato groaned as green spread like wildfire through Ritsuko's flesh. The faux-blonde's breasts and muscles seeming to jump before they started expanding. Ritsuko's clothes already exploding before her burgeoning form. "I better talk to Orion about this! The last thing I want is for this to start spreading beyond the omakes!"


	16. Survival

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 16: Survival

"C'mon, Third! What's taking you so long?" Asuka wondered, looking up from the beanbag she was seated on, TV remote in hand and superior smirk on her face. "When's dinner gonna be ready, anyway?"

"Just give me a few minutes," Shinji returned as he hovered over the various pots and pans, sweat rolling down his face due to the heat of the burners. "Sorry. I told you I've never tried this recipe before."

"Hmph. Figures," Asuka muttered. Her tone of voice conveying the image of her rolling her eyes at Shinji's incompetence. "What's the matter, Third? I thought you'd be used to cooking _real _food by now!"

_And what makes this stuff more _real _than _Japanese_ food? _a spiteful voice in the back of Shinji's mind retorted irritably. A voice that he knew far better than to allow access to his physical mouth and vocal chords.

In the days since Misato had crushed the 10th Angel, Asuka had become more officious than Shinji would have believed possible. She had immediately stopped doing what few household chores she had been willing to deal with in the past, and had decreed that she would not tolerate any more Japanese cuisine. She had become increasingly more demanding in terms of the meals she wanted, leaving Shinji often struggling with recipes he was only marginally aware of, if at all. And any time he accidentally overslept, he had found himself awakened courtesy of a series of kicks to his ribs.

_I haven't even had the time to do any more research about Jet Alone…or doing anything else with the Brigade, _Shinji muttered inwardly as he fussed with the sections of lamb that were almost sizzled to perfection. Thinking of all the times he had tried to investigate it at home, only to be interrupted when Asuka caught him and told him he wasting his time with her fists. _Not that I've been much help with that, but still…_

Sighing tiredly, Shinji continued to work, until at last every course of the fancy dinner the German had demanded of him was done to the best of his present ability. "Uh, Asuka? Dinner's ready, and…"

"Then what are you waiting for, _dummkopf_? Hurry up and get it served!" Asuka retorted. Getting up and brushing out the wrinkles in her clothes, she marched into the dining room and sat herself down. "I haven't had decent roast lamb since I got here!"

"I'm coming…" Shinji muttered. Moving as carefully as he could, he brought the roast lamb, along with the salad and the side dishes he had labored to prepare. One by one, he set Asuka's place, finishing up with a glass of iced tea.

Lowering her nose and taking an experimental sniff, Asuka gave a slight smile before cutting a small piece of lamb and forking it into her mouth. "Hmm…not bad, Third," she said with grudging respect. "I'll have to try you out on a few other dishes I've got in mind." Unable to help himself, Shinji allowed a weary groan to escape his lips as he gathered up his own meal. "Well, come on! Get in here and see what _real _food tastes like!" Asuka stated, waving for him to sit down. "And after you're done eating, you can get to work on my homework assignment."

"Wha - _again?_" Shinji moaned, practically dropping his own dinner in surprise. "But…Asuka -!"

"Don't 'but, Asuka!' me, baka! I've got better things to do than to waste my time on kiddy stuff like that! I've already graduated from college, for _Gott's_ sake!" Asuka stated with an offended snort. "Besides, that idiot teacher they stuck us with won't even give me my stuff in German! The stupid, old fart!" When Shinji gave a tired sigh to this, she gave him a disdainful look before sampling her salad. "Hey, don't be like that! At least this way you're doing something useful!"

Pulling his head back somewhat, Shinji studied his German housemate. "Useful?"

"Sure! You're helping _me!_" Asuka returned with a superior look. "And that's a lot more useful than wasting your time on those stupid conspiracy theories of yours!"

Heaving a deep sigh, Shinji slumped forward. Knowing there was absolutely no point in trying to convince Asuka of anything when she had made up her mind, he decided to try to enjoy what little peace this day would offer him. Taking his knife and fork in hand, he took in the aroma of the sumptuous dinner he had worked so hard on before moving to cut a piece of lamb. Only to stop when, as if on cue, the phone started to ring.

Hovering over his dinner, Shinji looked over towards the phone, aware of Asuka doing the same. The two teens then looked at each other, the phone continuing to ring. Her expression turning to one of disgust, the redhead grumbled, "Well? Aren't you going to answer it?"

Tempted to sigh again but deciding he had better save it for when he really needed it, Shinji stood from his seat and moved into the kitchen. Trying not to pay attention to PenPen, who was happily gulping down sardines, Shinji picked up the telephone. "Hello?"

"Shinji?" came the voice on the other end of the line.

"Oh, Horaki-chan!" Shinji returned, immediately grateful for the distraction. "How are you?"

"It's Hikari?" Asuka spoke up. Looking about, Shinji saw the German getting up and heading towards him. "Well, come on! Hand it over already!"

Before Shinji could do as he was asked, he heard a hushed voice speaking. "Shinji, listen to me, please." His lips parting at the urgency in Hikari's voice, he frowned and held the phone closer. "I just talked to a close friend of mine, and something's got her really scared."

"Hey, what are you doing?" Asuka demanded, leaning forward with her hands on her hips. "That _is _Hikari calling, right? So give me the phone, _dummkopf_!"

"Uh, sure. Just, um, give me a minute, okay?" Shinji murmured, taking a step back. Turning about so that he wouldn't be distracted by Asuka's scowl, he pressed the phone as tightly to his face as he could. "Your friend, huh? What's…wrong with her?"

"I'm not sure. She couldn't go into details about it, and it's making me nervous," Hikari replied tersely. "I…I'd like to be able to go over to her place. To check on her myself, but…"

"Right, right," Shinji nodded, only to yelp when Asuka grabbed hold of his hair and yanked him back.

"I said, _give me the phone!_" Asuka gritted, snatching the phone from Shinji's hand. She then shoved him aside and smiled, "Hey, Hikari! How're you doing?"

Pausing just long enough to make sure Asuka was occupied, then to look over at the dinner he hadn't even has a bite of, Shinji sighed before moving to the door. "I, uh, I'm gonna take a quick walk, Asuka! I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"What?" Asuka retorted as Shinji left the apartment. Closing the door behind him, he heard the German bellow, "But what about my homework?"

_I'm sure gonna be in trouble when I get back, _Shinji thought woefully, already knowing the pain he would be suffering when Asuka got through with him. Despite this, however, he kept moving, taking each step even faster than the one before. _But if Hikari's right about this…_

This dread thought trailing off, Shinji thought of the many precautions he and the rest of the Brigade had begun taking since they banded together. Phones, emails, text messages were all considered to be off-limits when it came to the transmission of sensitive communications. The only exception to this were certain code words Toji and Kensuke had come up with to signify that there was an emergency or something else of extreme urgency had happened and that the group was to assemble at a certain location. However, he and Hikari had taken this a few steps further, and made a few private additions to these code words.

In his conversations with Hikari, she had revealed that one of her powers was detecting when an Angel or a being with Angelic powers like Misato was in close proximity. And while it may have been Kensuke's paranoia rubbing off on them, they decided to give certain words extra meaning, in case She-Hulk escaped from NERV, or some other creature like the Rhino attacked Tokyo-3. The words, 'close friend' would refer to Spirit, and 'scared' or 'frightened' meant something had triggered her mental alarm. And while she hadn't been able to give him many other clues, the one she had given him, 'nervous', made it clear where his destination was.

_Something's gone wrong in the Geofront, _Shinji thought worriedly, already heading towards the nearest entrance to NERV's underground colony. _Horaki-chan wasn't sure what it was, so it's not Misato. And if it were an Angel, Captain Ibuki probably would have called us in already._ Pressing his lips tightly together, Shinji ran down the possibilities. If it were an Angel, then NERV either hadn't detected it yet, or they had somehow been cut off from the outside, like when the 9th Angel had attacked. And if it were something else…

_There's no way Horaki-chan would be able to get down there as herself, and if she tries to break through the vents as Spirit, then Father might have her attacked, _Shinji thought, the idea leaving him caught between fear and sadness. _I have to get down there and find out what's going on. If it's an Angel, then we should be able to handle it. And if it's something else…_

Frowning, Shinji found that he really didn't want to think about 'something else', if for no other reason that it might mean something that he wouldn't be able to use Unit 01 against. That he would have to watch as Misato was forced to fight in his stead, or that he would have to call Hikari on his cell phone, and give her the coded word that would send her down to risk capture, possibly death. All because he lacked the power to protect those he loved himself.

_I hate this, _Shinji muttered inwardly as the entryway to the Geofront finally came within a view. _I hate being so weak, so helpless…_

* * *

Hanging up her phone after a prolonged conversation with Asuka, Hikari frowned to herself. _I hate this, _she thought as she moved back to the kitchen. Never before feeling as helpless as she did that very moment.

It had only been a short time since she had begun sensing an Angel somewhere beneath the city, down within the Geofront. But time enough for NERV to have detected its presence and sound the alarms, alerting everyone to retreat to the Angel shelters. And certainly time enough for them to call in the pilots to deal with the threat. Neither of which had happened, not if her conversations with Shinji and Asuka were any indication.

Heaving a sigh, Hikari rubbed at her arm, feeling the goosebumps rising from her flesh. Not that long ago, she would probably have been quick to investigate this situation. She would have suspected a trap on NERV's part, but she had no doubt that she would have done something to find out what was going on. To at least confirm whether or not the city was at risk.

_I…I almost got killed the last couple of times I went out as Spirit, _Hikari murmured inwardly. The agony of her wings being torn out, virtually every bone in her body being shattered by She-Hulk still with her, as was the horror of her flesh and blood being corrupted by the Grey Gargoyle's touch. _If something did happen to me…if I died…_ Her fear and shame mounting, she saw within her mind her friends and family grieving over her shattered form. _Losing Mom…it almost destroyed Daddy and my sisters. If they…if I died as well…_

Even as this thought occurred to her, Hikari found herself being assailed by other fears as well. Fears of the possibility that NERV had found some way to replicate an Angel's signal, and were trying to lure her into another trap. Or that the scientists at NERV had been telling Shinji the truth. That there was something dangerous lurking within Hikari's body, something that would render her a mindless destroyer the next time she transformed…

_No! Stop it! _Hikari thought, wincing at the very idea. _That was a lie! Just another trick by NERV! It…it has to be…_ Gulping loudly, the pigtailed girl shook her head, trying to clear of such rogue thoughts. _I…its okay. Shinji…he'll find out what's going on, and…if it's not a trick and they really do need me…he can find an excuse to call me, and…and it'll be okay. _Heaving a deep breath, she bit down on her lip. Hard enough so that the taste of blood filled her mouth. _Besides, I can't just sneak out of here at any time! I have to finish dinner, and...oh, NO!_

Realizing just how long she had been on the phone, Hikari dashed back into the kitchen. Only to moan in defeat upon seeing that she accidentally put one of her textbooks on the grill, instead of the salmon she had meant to be cooking. Her nose filling with the stench of roasting paper, the Horaki matriarch leaned back against the wall and slowly sank to the floor.

_Oh, god…what did I ever do to deserve all this? _Hikari moaned. Then, with a derisive roll of her eyes, she answered herself. _Right. I've been killing Angels. What a stupid question…_

* * *

Looking down at the display screen built into the table before him, Gendo frowned tersely as he clenched his right hand. His forearm still hurt where the Rhino's horn had hit it; the time it has spent exposed to the air had resulted in his wound suffering a minor infection. An infection that pained him, despite the bandages and treatments it had been subjected to, but the Commander of NERV ignored the pain. Pain was immaterial to him. Especially in light of their current predicament, in which the MAGI had become their enemy. Infected by an Angel, with less than two hours until they activated NERV's self-destruct systems and destroyed them all.

Frowning at the contaminated simulation bodies in the pribnow box, Gendo studied the glowing patterns that had formed on them. Listening as Ritsuko analyzed their newest enemy. "Apparently, this Angel is composed of a collective of nanites, each of them no larger than a virus. These nanites are constantly replicating themselves, spreading and infecting new host bodies, forming colonies within them. These colonies are highly sophisticated, taking the form of advanced computer circuitry."

From his place at the table, Fuyutsuki studied the display with the intensity of a hawk. "It's evolving."

"That's right," Ritsuko confirmed. "They're constantly adapting themselves to environmental change, forming whatever configuration is best-suited for their survival."

"Total adaptability," Fuyutsuki nodded thoughtfully. "It's this Angel's survival mechanism."

"If that's the case, then we've got just one chance of stopping this Angel before it blows us to kingdom come," Chihiro muttered gravely. "We've got to destroy the MAGI before it forces them all to sign off on the auto-destruct!"

Her face falling in shock, Ritsuko then shot the newest addition to the bridge crew a look of pure outrage. "That's impossible!" she roared, causing Chihiro to recoil in fear. "If we destroy the MAGI, we might as well as destroy NERV itself!"

Frowning, Gendo silently agreed with this. The MAGI essentially ran, not just all of NERV, but the city ofTokyo-3and all ofJapan. It was only through them that an organization like NERV could be run with any level of efficiency, let alone the standards that were upheld. They were responsible for making certain that the Evas were maintained, the analysis of Angels, and a horde of other functions that were essential to the day-to-day function of NERV Headquarters.

"I…I know that, but, Dr. Akagi, if we don't do it, then we're dead, anyway!" Chihiro finally protested with clear reluctance. "I'd rather have to replace the MAGI than invest in a harp and halo!"

"But destroying the MAGI wouldn't necessarily stop the Angel, Chihiro," Maya pointed out. Still wearing the same bedraggled face she had been when Gendo had arrived on the bridge. "With its capabilities, it could probably find another way to access the self-destruct systems."

"Precisely," Ritsuko nodded, her expression taut with intensity. "Besides, as long as this Angel is still evolving, there's still a chance for us to stop it entirely."

Only needing a moment to pick up on what Ritsuko was saying, Gendo muttered, "By manipulating its evolution."

"That's right, sir," Ritsuko confirmed. "If we can reprogram the MAGI before the Angel completely absorbs them, we can trick it into thinking that the only way for it to survive is to co-exist with them indefinitely."

"Reprogram the MAGI?" Chihiro repeated blankly.

"I get it," Maya chimed in, a spark of joy appearing in her tired eyes. "This Angel functions almost exactly like a computer, so we should be able to hack into it by usingCasper."

"Exactly. Once the Angel breaks through toCasper, we can use it to load some kind of auto-destruct program into the Angel," Ritsuko replied, giving her former understudy a warm look. When Maya responded with a look of her own, the faux-blonde frowned with concern. "Unfortunately, we'll have to get it all done before the Angel breaks through. And even then, everything will depend onCasperbeing faster than the Angel."

"Do you really think you can do all that, Dr. Akagi?" Makoto wondered from his position. "If we loseCasper, it's all over for us."

"I keep my promises," Ritsuko told him. Her voice heavy with certainty. "Besides, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve. We can do this."

"Maybe…" Chihiro murmured, her brows furrowed with concern. "But…shouldn't we have a backup plan, just in case?" All eyes focusing on her, the techie frowned her concern. "I mean…what you're proposing…it seems almost impossible!"

"We don't have a choice! Nor do we have time for any more debating!" Ritsuko growled, once again causing her new understudy to back away with the sheer force of her glare. "Every second we waste jabbering here gives that Angel an even better chance of beating us! There's nothing else we can do!"

After a moment's hesitation, Chihiro returned, "Well, actually…there might be one other way."

At this, everyone there swung their eyes in Chihiro's direction. "What are you talking about, Lieutenant Mifune?" Fuyutsuki demanded. "What else could we possibly do?"

"Well…Dr. Akagi said it herself. This Angel works just like a computer," Chihiro started, caught between uncertainty in herself and the desire to explain her theory. "So, I was thinking…instead of trying to reprogram it, why not wipe out its memory? Make it forget everything, even why it's attacking us in the first place?"

"And how do you propose we try and do something like that?" Ritsuko asked, folding her arms before her. Every gesture she made betraying her annoyance.

"You see, before I was promoted, me and the rest of my tech division were working on different weapons and machines that could – in theory, anyway - be used against the Angels," Chihiro began, speaking her hands as well as her voice. "One of them was a localized EMF generator. It's similar to ones that NERV uses in the AT-Field nullification zones for the Evas, and we were hoping to modify it so it could give our long-range weapons more strength against the Angels." Pausing to look at the faces around her and make sure they were all on the same page, the techie managed a somewhat bolder smile. "Anyway, I was thinking that, if we tuned it to the exact bio-electrical frequency of the Angel's nanites, we could generate an electromagnetic pulse that would wipe out all their programming! They would be completely helpless!" Then she shrugged and added, "Well, that's the theory, anyway."

It was still a good theory to Gendo's mind. Turning towards Ritsuko, he frowned and asked, "Your opinion, Dr. Akagi?"

Her face tightening with thought, Ritsuko spent a few moments considering the matter. "Assuming the generator could be set to exactly the right frequency, it is…possible," she finally conceded. "But we would have to channel the EMP through the MAGI's systems in order for it to get to all of the nanites, not just the ones here. And that would almost certainly mean losing some of our data. And even if it works, there's no guarantee it would stop the Angel permanently."

"Perhaps, but it would certainly slow it down," Maya chimed in. "I've seen the reports on that project, including Chihiro's work on it. In fact, that's the reason I chose her as my…replacement."

"Really?" Ritsuko spoke, raising an eyebrow at this. Giving the matter more thought, she turned towards Chihiro, studying the younger woman for a time. "Very well, then. We'll go with your plan as a backup, in case we can't reprogramCasperfast enough." The doctor's new understudy gasped in delight at this, a silly grin plastering itself on her. "Now, hurry up and get whatever people and equipment you'll need to make this work! We don't know how much time we have left!"

"Yes, Dr. Akagi! And thanks!" Chihiro cried out, snapping off a fast salute before darting off.

Watching her leave, Ritsuko then looked over at Maya. "You did a good job, choosing her." Seeing the reluctant nod her former understudy gave her in return, the faux-blonde moved and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Still, with her busy with the generator, I'm going to need someone else to help me withCasper."

Looking up, Maya frowned her befuddlement. "Sempai…?"

"Come on, Maya. Chihiro's good, but she doesn't have your mind," Ritsuko told her earnestly. "And there's nobody I trust more to help me with this than you." Giving this a chance to sink in, she cocked her head in the direction of the waiting MAGI. "So what do you say? Do you feel up to this?"

Gendo had long since mastered the art of reading people. It was one of the many reasons he had climbed his way up to the position of power he now enjoyed; the ability to analyze every gesture, every breath and every blink of a person's eyes and find out exactly what was going on inside of them. So it was absolutely no challenge for him at all to see that Maya wanted nothing more than to fling her arms about Ritsuko and jump for joy, when all she did was grin so broadly that her face looked like it would split in half. "You couldn't keep me away, sempai!"

"Then let's get to work," Ritsuko told her. "Come on, and I'll show you one of those secrets I mentioned earlier."

Barely paying attention as the two women started away, already discussing their plans, Gendo turned towards his former sensei. "Fuyutsuki, while they're working, alert Section 2. I want a detachment armed with tranq guns sent down to the Major's quarters."

"Ikari?" Fuyutsuki frowned, studying his former student.

"With the MAGI now inoperative, it's possible that the security systems in her enclosure will have gone offline. And given the Major's temperament and sensitivity to the Angels, the longer she's left in there to wait, the more likely she is to transform," Gendo muttered, knowing full well how far her obsession ran. "I don't want her other half making things more difficult than they already are."

"Yes, sir," Fuyutsuki replied. Snorting his weariness as he moved off to carry out his orders.

Turning about, Gendo started forward, already thinking of the numerous fires he would have to put out once the Angel was defeated. He didn't bother considering the possibility of failure, for failure would mean death. Not just for him, but also for the one being that made his life worth living, for his plans to hold her in his arms once again, for all eternity. And so he pushed such thoughts out of his mind. Refusing to allow himself be distracted from doing whatever it took to make his dreams reality.

Even as he did so, his still-healing arm sent a burst of pain stabbing into his mind. Grunting in discomfort, Gendo spared just a moment to glare at his injury before shoving it to the back of his mind. Having more important things to deal with than a minor infection, he made a note to apply more medications to it later before dismissing it completely.

* * *

Something was wrong. Even if Shinji hadn't already been warned by Hikari, he would have realized it the moment the tram he was riding in appeared within the Geofront. For as he sat back, looking about the now-familiar underground colony, observing the portals through which many of the houses and businesses in Tokyo-3 would descend in times of trouble, as well as the portals through which the Evas and their weapons could be launched, he was aware of movement all around him.

Down below, just outside of the high-tech pyramid that was NERV Headquarters, people were scrambling about like ants on overdrive. And from what he could tell, just about every other tram that NERV had was already in motion. Working to carry people up and out of the Geofront.

_Is it a full evacuation? _Shinji wondered, watching as another tram passed his own. Just barely able to see people staring out at the one car that was going down, rather than up. _But…why would they be evacuating? Is it an Angel…or is it something else?_

Frowning, Shinji felt his hand reaching for his cell phone. His first impulse to contact Hikari, to let he know what was happening. But he stopped himself before he could even reach into his pocket. So far, all he knew was that there was something wrong. He didn't know what was actually happening, let alone if Spirit could do anything to help. He also considered alerting Asuka, but the same thing applied to her.

_I have to find out what's going before I contact anybody, _Shinji realized, frowning intently. _And if they haven't sounded the alarm while they're evacuating, then they probably won't tell me what's going on if I call and ask them._ His heart pounding with the sheer intensity of the situation, the 3rd Child did his best to ignore his mounting fear and confusion and keep focused on the task at hand. Then the massive sound filled the air. The sound of machinery grinding. _What the -?_

Before Shinji could complete his thought, he sat up and looked down towards the source of the noise. Just in time to see two portals opening up near the NERV pyramid, and electro-magnetic tracks rise out of them. His mind emptying, Shinji realized what was happening just as two things shot up on the tracks. And though he couldn't make out the details, he could see the things well enough to know that one was blue, the other red.

_They've launched the Evas? _Shinji gaped, staring up in astonishment even as the tracks, having completed their duty, withdrew back into the base. _But…even if Ayanami was there, there's no way Asuka could have beat me here and gotten into her Eva or any of that! And…Horaki-chan, she said the Angel was down _here, _not in the city!_ Suffering a sudden pang, he quickly thought back over his interrupted conversation with her. After a few seconds of thought, he was satisfied that he hadn't misinterpreted things. Hikari had used the code word for NERV Headquarters, there was no mistake about that. And so Shinji pondered the matter even further, trying to make sense of things. Until at last, a pit opening up in his stomach, he was forced to arrive at just one conclusion.

_They aren't launching the Evas to fight…they're trying to _save _them!_ Shinji gasped inwardly, his head spinning from the thought. _Whatever's happening…it's so bad that even the Evas can't stop it!_

In that instant, Shinji wanted nothing more than to run away. To run around, trying to find a way to make the tram reverse its course, or failing that, wait until he reached his goal and then find a different avenue of escape. He had fought the Angels, but only with the power of Unit 01 at his command. He had come face-to-face with the Rhino, and had been completely at his mercy. Certainly anything worse than them, anything that would force his father to order a complete evacuation was beyond either of these things, beyond his ability to deal with without help.

But before this impulse to flee could fully manifest itself, another thing occurred to Shinji. The image of Misato, trapped in her gilded cage. Possibly forgotten, maybe even abandoned, while the rest of the personnel and equipment were being evacuated. Left to die at the hands of whatever threat had been unleashed within.

_I have to make sure! _Shinji thought, the image of Misato lying unconscious, victim of her enclosure's sleeping gas, when NERV was destroyed or whatever was about to happen. _I have to make sure she's okay!_

This thought spurring him on, the words 'I mustn't run away' repeating themselves in his mind over and over again, Shinji kept watch outside. When his tram finally arrived at one of the terminals within NERV Headquarters, he was able to see the many people running about madly. Making use of every tram that was available to them.

_I won't have much time! _Shinji thought worriedly. Already seeing a horde of people bearing down on his tram, flooding it before he even had a chance to step outside and even try and help Misato. _As soon as the door opens, I'll have to run!_

Moving to the door, Shinji grabbed hold of one of the handrails and braced himself for the gentle thud of the tram reaching its station. Then, when the door slid open, he poked his head out the door and quickly scanned the area. Wincing when he heard female voice announce, "Red alert. Red alert. An emergency has occurred in NERV Headquarters. All D-Class personnel must evacuate."

_Only D-Class personnel are being evacuated? _Shinji thought even as he scampered away from the tram. Crouching down even as he scampered forward, every sense he possessed on high alert. _Then whatever's going on, some of them must be staying behind to try and stop it!_

Mentally running the list of people he knew who were ranked at above D-Class, Shinji spotted the door that led into NERV proper. Steeling himself for what he had to do, he darted towards the door…only to squawk in surprise when he felt someone grab hold of his wrist.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" demanded an unfamiliar male voice. Helpless to stop him, Shinji was whipped him about, bringing him face-to-face with a NERV technician. "Are you deaf? We've been ordered to evacuate!"

"No! Stop!" Shinji cried out as the techie started dragging him backwards. "Let me go!"

"No way, kid! We've orders, and…" Trailing off, the man frowned as he studied Shinji's features. "Wait a minute…aren't you the 3rd Child?"

Practically fainting in relief, Shinji nodded hurriedly. "Yes! I'm – I'm Pilot Ikari!" Noticing the effect his last name had on the tech, he quickly drew out his wallet and opened it. His NERV ID hanging out for all the world to see. "I'm…I've been ordered to report to…to the Commander, and…"

Once again, the techie faltered, a shadow of fear crossing his face. A few seconds passed as he looked from Shinji to his ID and back again before he frowned in suspicion. "But…Unit 01 has already been evacuated! Why would they call for you _now?_"

_They've launched Unit 01 as well?_ Shinji cried out in his mind, staggered by this bombshell. Then he realized that the techie was looking at him with increased wariness, and shook himself back to full alert. "I…I don't know. I just – Father ordered me to come here, and that's all!" When the techie failed to release him, Shinji forced all the determination he could to his face. "Please, I have to get to the bridge right away! You have to let me go!"

Groaning unhappily, the techie seemed to consider the matter. Finally, whether because of Shinji's resolute expression or simply because he didn't want to have Gendo's wrath fall on his head, the techie released his grip. "Alright. You better get going, then."

"Right! Thanks!" Shinji beamed, waving at the techie even as he turned to run. His every thought on finding out what was happening, and how best he could help Misato and the others.

* * *

Never before had Misato felt so much like a caged animal.

She had long been aware she was a prisoner within NERV. She had known that from the day she had been first led to her gilded cage, and she had accepted it because it was necessary. She had almost no control over her transformation, and the same applied to her bestial other. And as She-Hulk, she was simply too dangerous to let run around Tokyo-3, where just about anything could set her off.

But still, Misato knew she had friends who cared about her, and came to visit. Shinji, Ritsuko, and all the others had done everything in their power to make her situation more bearable, and she was grateful for it. Doing her best to make do with what she had, knowing that she was not alone.

Now, not only was she alone, cut off by the restrictions meant to keep her presence and condition a secret, but she was helpless. Unable to do anything but pace about her enclosure, feeling the hateful presence of this latest Angel gnawing in her mind, fueling all the loathing she felt for each and every last one those monsters. And even as she struggled to keep her temper in check, she could feel the savage within her rattling at its cage with every breath she took, demanding she give way to it. To unleash all the anger and hatred she felt for the Angels, and allow the savage she-beast that personified it to take revenge on another of Adam's kin.

_But I can't! _Misato growled to herself, wrapping her arms about her frame. Fire seeming to burn through her veins, despite the loose medical gown she was wearing. _Never mind the damned sleeping gas! Even if I'm right about She-Hulk, she's still got the brains of a jackhammer! And without anyone to instruct her on how to fight this thing, there's no telling what kind of disaster she could make of things!_

These were the things that Misato continued to repeat to herself, over and over again. The things that the cold, cool logic that the part of her was a strategist told her, things she herself could not refute. But her She-Hulk mentality was another story altogether.

The beast that struggled to take over Misato's body and remake it in her own image didn't care about the odds, or collateral damage. She didn't care about the aftermath of her rampages, or plans or strategies or any of those things. All that truly mattered to her was that there was an _Angel_ nearby. That one of the monsters that had haunted her these past fifteen years had invaded her home, her sanctuary, with the intent of destroying everything she held dear in her life. And she wanted to smash it. She didn't care what form it took or how dangerous it might be, she wanted to track down the Angel and tear it apart with her own two hands.

_And if it were that simple, I'd gladly just hold my breath and let it all hang out, _Misato grumbled, partly to herself, partly to alter ego. _Too bad that one of us has to think about these things before we jump in with guns blazing._

Her other self still didn't care, something that didn't surprise Misato. There was a terrible power in She-Hulk's simple thinking, in knowing exactly what she wanted and not caring what got in her way. A terrifying temptation that Misato was fully aware of, and found herself hating herself for it.

_Dammit! I hate this shit!_ Misato snarled inwardly, cursing her inner monster for all she was worth. _Why the hell couldn't I be like Spirit and be in control of this damned monster? Then I wouldn't have to worry about all this crap, and I could just go out, and -!_

Even as she was envisioning such a scenario, the frustration she felt at it not being reality causing her eyes to spark with green, Misato started at the sound of the heavy door to her lodgings slowly creaking open. Sucking in a surprised breath, she watched as it opened completely, and scowled when several men dressed entirely in black marched in. "What's going on here?"

"Isn't it obvious, _Major _Katsuragi?" came a voice from beyond the door, a voice that made her go rigid. When the voice's owner stepped inside, a tranq gun in hand and a triumphant smirk on his face, Misato growled beneath her breath. "We're here to keep an eye on you."

"Chiron, you porker!" Misato snarled, her hands involuntarily clenching into fists. All the fights and arguments they had had since she had first come to NERV burning inside of her, the weapon her resident nemesis held the only real reason she chose to hold her temper in check. "What do you mean, keep an eye on me?"

"Just what it sounds like…you dumb slut," Chiron retorted as his men took aim at her with tranq weapons of their own. "Commander's orders. He wants to make sure you stay put until the Angel has been taken care of."

"Really," Misato muttered, narrowing her eyes as she glared at Section 2 Captain. Fully aware that he and his underlings could put a dozen darts in her the moment even a spark of green was seen in her eyes.

"Yes. Not that I blame him for being cautious," Chiron told her even as a couple of his men moved to close the door to her enclosure. Once that was done, they remained in front of it, weapons at the ready. "We all know the kind of damage an…animal like you is capable of, when you're let out of your cage." Keeping his weapon at the ready, the Section 2 head stepped closer, his smirk taking a vindictive edge. "Which is why I decided to take charge of this situation."

_Translation, its payback time for what Greenie did to your car,_ Misato growled inwardly, glaring hatefully at the bane of her existence, who was chuckling, enjoying the fact that she was effectively his prisoner. "I'd be a bit more careful about what I said if I were you, Chiron," she muttered, wishing for an excuse, _any _excuse to wrap her hands about his throat. "Considering that this is _my _cage you're in."

"I'm also the one with all the guns," Chiron smiled wickedly, holding his weapon up just a bit higher even as his flunkies mimicked him. "Now, instead of wasting time with threats, why don't you take a seat?" Tilting his head in the direction of her couch, the Section 2 head stepped closer, the barrel of his weapon aimed directly between her breasts. "We're going to be here for a while, so you might as well make yourself comfortable."

Frowning, Misato studied the gun and the man wielding it. Chiron was brutal, a thug, and not a big believer in subtlety, whether in his actions or his words. A man Gendo kept on a very tight leash, and was sent in to directly handle only the biggest problems. And despite the intensity of her loathing for him, she knew he wouldn't be here with an armed guard unless it was under direct orders from the Commander.

_Whatever's going on, they must think they have it in hand, and they don't want She-Hulk blowing it all to hell, _Misato thought, reluctance and something like regret creeping through her. _But they're not sure, and they want me available in case things go sour. Otherwise, Chiron would have put a dart in me as soon as he got here._

As Misato continued to consider the situation, her musings were cut short by Chiron growling, "What are you waiting for, Major? Get on that couch. Now." Returning her full focus to the present, she grimaced at the expression he wore. The face of a man who knew he was in control, and was loving every moment of it. "Or would you like me to force a little cooperation into you?"

_And let you have the satisfaction? Not a chance in hell! _Misato snarled inwardly. Snorting her disdain, she started towards her couch. Trying to ignore that savage hatred her bestial other exuded, the desire to take this man and render him limb from limb. Knowing that she would be darted several times over like the animal he implied her to be before the monster could do more than give him a green glare.

"There. Was that really so hard?" Chiron oozed, staying close to her. "Daigoji, why don't you go check the fridge?" Misato stopped in mid-step at this, resisting the urge to turn about and see the ugly look that went along with these words. "Considering who we're dealing with, I'm sure you'll find plenty of…refreshments for us?"

"Excuse me," Misato muttered. Her hands clenched so hard that she could almost feel blood emerging from where her nails dug into her flesh. "But I don't recall giving _you_ permission to start poking around in _my_ kitchen."

"And _I _don't recall ever needing _your_ permission for anything," Chiron returned, still using that same sickening voice of victory. "Now sit your ass down already. This is my party, and we're going to be playing by my rules."

_Smash him,_ the beast within snarled hatefully. _Smash him, crush him, kill him, smash him…_

Peripherally aware of one of the Section 2 men opening up her refrigerator, Misato grunted disgustedly before sitting down. _Don't I wish…_

* * *

It was times like this Ritsuko remembered why she had become a scientist.

There were certainly many reasons she cursed her chosen course in life, everything from the overwhelming hours she was forced to work to the underwhelming pay. And when she allowed herself to stop and think about it, to curse her fate for everything she was worth, the number one reason had to be knowing that she was a pawn to bring about the end of the world and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. That all she could do was live with it or die because of it.

But at the moment, all of that was forgotten, because Ritsuko was doing what she excelled at. She was using all her skills, doing what she was meant to do. And best of all, she was using those skills to save lives other than her own. She was helping people, rather than hurting them, for the first time in a painfully long time.

As Ritsuko lay on her back, using a small power saw to cut intoCasper's techno-organic processor, she listened to the people outside working as well. Most notably Maya, who was typing away just outside. Working feverishly on her laptop to help turnCasperinto a sling to bring down this particular Goliath. The current Captain happier and more alive than she had been since she had been promoted.

"How it's going out there?" Ritsuko asked as she completed the incision, causing a section of metal to fall away.

"I'm almost done with the base program, sempai!" Maya called back, a note of cheer in her voice, despite the peril of the situation. "And Chihiro and her team are almost done with the EMF generator. They're making the final adjustments to it right now."

_I just hope we don't have to use it, _Ritsuko replied inwardly, the chance for losing data still in her thoughts. _We may have all of our data backed up at Matsushiro, but I _really _don't want to have to try and reload it all into the MAGI!_

Knowing all the late nights she would have to put in on such a project, Ritsuko shuddered involuntarily. "Hand me wrench, someone," she muttered, reaching out towards the open air.

"Uh, right. Here you go, Doc," some technician whose name Ritsuko didn't remember offhand replied. Within moments, she felt the solid metal tool in her hand and was proceeding to open up the next layer ofCasper's insulation.

"Look out! Coming through!" came Chihiro's voice from somewhere outside the MAGI. The sound of something being dragged punctuating her words.

Before Ritsuko could wonder what was going on, Maya spoke up. "They're linking the generator to the MAGI, sempai."

"Right," Ritsuko nodded. Once that was done, they could calibrate the generator to the exact frequency needed to effectively lobotomize the Angel, if it worked in life as well as it did on paper.

As she listened to Chihiro's team make the essential connections, Ritsuko sighed heavily. Though she had hated her mother, she didn't like the idea of someone other than her mucking around with the MAGI on base principle. "Say, Maya," she began, trying to distract herself from the others' labors. "If you don't mind my asking…why did you decide to join NERV?"

"Sempai?" Maya returned, surprise evident in her voice.

"Sorry. But…you never did tell me why you decided to come here," Ritsuko prompted as she removed the next panel, revealing the inner workings ofCasper. "Hand me Board #25, please."

While someone was handing Ritsuko the required piece of equipment, she tried again. "It's just…I know how much you hate fighting. So…why join a military organization?"

"Oh, that," Maya got out. "Well, it's kind of a long story, but…well, my mother had a lot to do with it."

"Really?" Ritsuko returned even as she connected the board to the MAGI and began inputting her share of the modifications. "In what way?"

"Well, she was always telling me that I couldn't just be a computer technician if I wanted to get ahead in life. Going on and on that there would always be someone trying to get me, and I had to have a backup plan. Something to fall back on," Maya returned, some of the gloom she had been carrying around the past few days reappearing. "Finally, I decided to go to a military academy. I thought I could pick up additional computer training, and I scored high there. So when I found out that NERV was interested in me…" Somehow managing to convey a shrug with pure silence, the brunette added, "I thought…NERV isn't about fighting some other country or anything like that. We're trying to protect the entire world, and…with all the resources here to work with…it seemed like the best possibility."

"I see," Ritsuko murmured gently, a sad smile appearing on her face. _In a way, it's like me. NERV – GEHIRN – seemed like the perfect choice back then, _she thought, memories of better time encroaching on the moment. Then the faux-blonde frowned as reality returned. _Too bad it turn out the way I had thought it would._ Continuing to work, Ritsuko gave a tired shake of her head. _I just hope you don't find that out the way I did._

"I have to admit, I was a bit worried when I first came here," Maya went on. Blissfully unaware of the dark musings in Ritsuko's mind. "But…you know something? Even with everything we have to deal with here, I'm glad I came here. I feel like…I've really made a difference."

Her heart growing heavier with every word her friend said, Ritsuko felt her eyes begin to water. "Even now?"

"Yeah. Even now," Maya told her. "Sempai, you might not believe this, but…I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than right here."

Never once pausing in her labors, Ritsuko shook her head. A pit opening in her stomach at the innocence with which her former understudy spoke. "I'm sorry, Maya."

"Sorry?" Maya replied perplexedly. "What for?"

_For everything,_ was what Ritsuko wanted to say. What came out of her mouth was, "For not realizing you were happy where you were."

A kindly chuckle was Maya's response. "Well, I…"

"It's happening!" Makoto erupted from outside, cutting Maya off. "The Angel is taking over Balthasar!"

"What? _Already?"_ Ritsuko shrieked, aghast at this revelation. Looking down at her board, she cursed rapidly and repeatedly in her mind when she realized that they barely halfway done with reprogrammingCasper.

"MAGI ordered self-destruction sequence has been determined," a female voice announced over the PA. The voice of the MAGI. "Self-destruction will occur twenty seconds after all three AIs consent. Area of destruction will include Geo-A depth, minus 280, minus 140, and 40."

_Dammit! We're out of time! _Ritsuko snarled inwardly, looking wildly about at the notes left behind by her mother. _Even with mother's codes…we wasted too much time with Chihiro, talking about her plan! And now…it's our only chance!_

Not wasting an instant, Ritsuko disconnected her board and shoved herself out ofCasper. Aware of Maya as she continued to work, the terrified faces of all her coworkers, Gendo as he stood at the top of the bridge, still looking calm and in command. Getting to her feet, she looked over where Chihiro and her team had set up their equipment. "Is the EMF generator ready?"

Chihiro gave a quick nod, her hands on the control panel for the generator. It was fairly simple in appearance; a gunmetal grey cylinder held up just above the ground by metal cradle. A large, knobby sphere was slowly rotating at one end, and from the other emerged several cables that led from it to the MAGI. A muted, electrical hum was the only sound it made. "We're ready! But make sure you're not in contact with the MAGI when we set it off! It won't fry your brains, but you might get a bad shock!"

"Right!" Ritsuko returned before turning about. "Let's go, Maya!"

"Okay!" Maya nodded tensely. Laptop clenched to her chest, she and Ritsuko darted away from the computerized monolith.

Once the both of them had their back to the walll, Ritsuko announced, "We're clear! Do it now!"

"Right! Initiating EMP!" Chihiro declared even as she pressed the large, red button on her control panel. The EMF generator hummed even louder, the sphere spinning faster as the lights on her panel went crazy. Finally, a strange zapping sound filled the air, just before every computer screen in sight broke down into static.

"T-T-T-minus ten s-s-s-econds to selllllf-destruct…" slurred the computer voice as the various screens continued to deteriorate. "Self-destruc-shunnnn will o-o-occur twenty minutes a-a-a-after all three AIsssss…" The PA trailed off, leaving nothing but static in the air. Even the screen displaying the MAGI's status broke down, colors flashing erratically before it went off entirely.

Standing completely still, Ritsuko took in the computerized chaos the generator had unleashed. Several seconds passed with no apparent sign of the countdown resuming. Realizing that this didn't mean anything in and of itself, she turned and looked up at the bridge proper. "Shigeru! Makoto! Status!"

"Uh…I'm not sure!" Shigeru reported after a moment's hesitation. "When the EMP went off, Melchior and Balthasar completely crashed!Caspertook a pretty bad hit, and all of our primary systems have been scrambled!"

"And the auto-destruct?" Maya asked warily.

"That went down with the MAGI," Makoto informed them. "We're safe for now."

Heaving a deep breath, Ritsuko turned and looked over at where Chihiro and the other techs stood. "In that case, good job, all of you," she announced. Heartened by the pleased looks and sounds this inspired in the techs, the doctor got back down to business. "Still, we better treat this as a temporary reprieve." Watching just long enough for the techs to sober up, she looked back up at the bridge. "What about the Angel? Can you tell how the EMP affected it?"

"Not yet," Makoto admitted worriedly. "But…it looks like the MAGI's backup systems are still online. They're rebooting themselves!"

"Already?" Ritsuko gaped, disquieted by this revelation. "Then the Angel must still be partly active."

"Yeah, but…it's going pretty slowly. All the systems were affected; the MAGI has gone into self-diagnostic mode," Shigeru informed them. "I can't tell much right now, but at the rate it's working…we've got ten minutes, maybe more, before they're back online."

"Keep an eye on things, you two. Let me know the instant the MAGI are back online," Ritsuko told him. Turning her gaze to Maya, she gave the younger woman a thoughtful look. "Think we can be ready in ten minutes?"

"Not a problem, sempai," Maya returned. Only for her happy look to be cut off when a strange electrical crackling pierced the air. "What the – what was that?"

Frowning, Ritsuko looked towards the other techs. "Chihiro?"

"I'm not sure," Chihiro admitted as she and her friends looked over their equipment. "It wasn't the generator, but – look!" Freezing up with surprise, Ritsuko automatically followed the tech's gaze…and blanched with fear and confusion. A strange glow, similar to the light she had seen on the simulation bodies, was rushing up one of the cables leading from the MAGI. After a moment, she realized that it was running up the same cable that led to Maya's laptop.

"Maya! Drop it!" Chihiro cried out, but it was too late. The glowing wave of what could only have been the Angel's nanites surged up through the cable and into the laptop. The portable computer then glowed with the same dangerous light, light that jumped from it into Maya herself. Completely helpless, Ritsuko watched as the nano-machines surged up Maya's arms and spread throughout her, causing every square inch of flesh it touch to convulse madly.

_"Maya!"_ Ritsuko howled as the younger woman tumbled to the floor, her laptop falling from her grip. Wanting to help but terrified to touch her, to let the Angel invade her as it had Maya.

"What is it?" came the voice of Gendo Ikari. Looking up, Ritsuko saw the Commander gazing down from the bridge. Looking at them like they were cockroaches scurrying about his kitchen floor. "What's happening?"

Before she could say a word, Ritsuko's eyes went wide when an agonized groan pierced the air. Looking about, she sucked in a horrified breath as she watched Maya come to her hands and knees, veins bulging up from her flesh. Her breathing ragged and tormented, she swung her head up and looked at the head scientist with eyes filled with desperation. Her mouth opening and closing, she worked her jaws, and forced one word out of her lips. "Se…sempaiii!"

Practically choking on her own helplessness, Ritsuko could only stand and watch as the young woman flung her head back down, streamers of light spreading out from her hands and into the floor. Taking a step back, Ritsuko eyed the streams warily, waiting for them to reach out and try to infect her or another part of NERV. To her surprise, this did not happen; instead, they terminated a few inches away from her. Then she realized something else. The metal around the nano-circuits shifted about, seeming to liquefy, before being drawn up through the circuits into Maya's body.

Apparently struggling to rise up, Maya then cried out before her upper body slammed back down, her shoulder blades and spine visibly pressing up against her uniform. Her skin started changing color, going from normal flesh to a metallic grey. The same color of the metal floor.

While Ritsuko was staring in horror at her understudy, other eyes were observing her metamorphosis. "Get Section 2 down here immediately, and have them fully armed. Captain Ibuki has been infected by the Angel," Commander Ikari announced, his voice cold and hard. "We need to dispose of her immediately."

Her eyes going wide with horror, Ritsuko tore her gaze away from her mutated friend. _"What?"_

"What – but, sir -!" Makoto protested as well, with Shigeru sputtering helplessly in the background.

"Communications are still offline, Ikari!" Fuyutsuki reminded him.

Ritsuko didn't know if Gendo said anything to this, nor did she care. All she could hear now were the tormented grunts and groans of Maya, noises of agony that forced her to once again bear witness to her understudy's plight. Her body and musculature had visibly swollen beneath her uniform; her jacket was splitting open along the back, and the seams were ripping apart about the shoulders. The bottoms of her pants legs were tearing open as her legs grew longer, their muscles slowly expanding. Her boots popped open along the sides and at the toes as her feet outgrew them. In no time at all, her footwear had completely fallen apart, her socks had burst open at the toes, allowing her bare feet to come into contact with the metal flooring. At which they sent out nano-circuits of their own.

"Oh, god…" Ritsuko moaned, shaking her head in denial as Maya let out a cry of pain, rage, and what could only be described as ecstasy as another wave of growth tore through her body. Almost flinging herself to a standing position, the mutating woman looked wildly at her own body as she shot up from about five-something to seven feet tall in mere seconds. Her breasts pulsated beneath her jacket before expanding tremendously, popping open the front and sending the ruined garment to the floor. Though her tattered shirt remained somewhat intact, it now hung exclusively about her chest like a shredded halter-top, giving everyone a clear view of her abdomen as it throbbed and hardened into a steely six-pack of muscle.

As the transformation ran its course, Ritsuko gulped loudly as she took a step back from what had once been the young woman she had worked with so well. Though she was nowhere near as heavily muscled as She-Hulk was, what she had was damned impressive, giving her the build of an Amazon and the height to go along with it. Her skin was the same color and texture of the metal on which she stood on, even glinting in the low light of the bridge. And her eyes were swinging about aimlessly, as if in search of something. "M…Maya…?"

At this utterance, Maya suddenly focused on the faux-blonde, causing her to go rigid with fear. But even as Ritsuko grew certain of her own demise, her mutated friend groaned before giving a shake of her head. Tottering to one side, she staggered off balance until she slammed into the wall. Another confused groan escaped her lips, she brought her hand to her forehead, as if trying to massage away a headache.

"What's happening?" Darted a sideways glance behind her, Ritsuko realized that one of Chihiro's friends was the one to ask this question. "What is she doing?"

"Shh!" Ritsuko hissed, carefully moving backwards from where her friend was struggling with her own body. Once she was closer to the techs, the faux-blonde began speaking in a hushed voice. "Don't make any sudden moves or loud noises. Don't do anything to provoke her!"

"Believe me, I _won't!_" another techie hissed fearfully. Without another word, the small group started away from Maya, moving cautiously towards the stairs. All eyes on Maya as she pushed herself away from the wall and started forward, still moaning pitifully as she staggered towards the MAGI.

Desperate to keep detached from the situation, Ritsuko resumed the role that had enabled her to keep her sanity all these years. The role of a dispassionate scientist who thought only of facts and figures, ratios and results, not emotions or right and wrong. And while she and the others kept moving away, she watched and studied what had once been a normal, mild-mannered woman she made her way over towards the MAGI. Anticipating Maya either smashing the MAGI or reactivating them so they could complete the self-destruct, she sucked in a fearful breath, only for fear to turn to confusion when she moved around the three supercomputers, ignoring them except for using them to support herself when she momentarily lost her balance. As soon as the metal-skinned woman recovered, she let out a pained, desperate groan as she picked up the EMF generator.

_What is she doing?_ Ritsuko wondered, trying to keep her fear down. To study and analyze what was happening even as Maya effortlessly tore the still-active generator from the MAGI. Ignoring the sparks flying about her, the mutated woman hefted the generator up in her left hand and grabbed hold of the electrified cables with her right. The instant her steely skin made contact with live wires, Maya stood up straight and let out a moan of relief. Even smiling as the electrical current ran through her.

_Of course! The EMP must've completely disrupted the nano-machines! Even their S2 organs!_ Ritsuko realized, watching in mute horror as the glowing nanites ran up the cables and into the generator. Causing them writhe about of their own accord before wrapping about Maya's right forearm. _Now they need an extra source of energy to stay alive while they're recovering, and with the generator already set to their bio-frequency, they can easily adapt to it!_

Even as this thought ran its course, Maya drove her right hand into the generator itself, the Angel's nanites causing it to shift and wrap about her forearm. Once the transformation was complete, the mutated woman held it up into the air, the knobby metal sphere like a morning star at the end of a heavy metal gauntlet. She looked at it and grinned with wild, feral satisfaction. A grin that was cut short when she and Ritsuko heard a voice penetrating the background.

"- don't care what it takes!" Gendo spoke dangerously over his cell phone. "You have your orders! I want Ibuki terminated! _At all costs!_"

Stifling a groan of protest, Ritsuko then swung her gaze at the mutated woman, and gaped in amazement at what happened. Maya's face fell in shock, clearly cognizant of what was being said, despite her current condition. And in that instant, the doctor could see her friend and understudy beneath the layers of transformation. She saw fear and shame and guilt and confusion, all the things that made Maya what she was. Then, her expression still frozen in horror, her right arm shot straight up. In complete defiance of the generator's original design, the sphere at the end fired up into the ceiling, still connected to her by a glowing cable. Before either of them realized what was happening, the cable began to retract, pulling Maya up into the air.

_The Angel…it's still adapting! Even forcing the generator to adapt as well!_ Ritsuko realized in dread awe. Trying not to think about what it was doing to Maya's body as the mutated woman rose up above the level of the bridge. She then began swinging her legs back and forth, causing herself to swing like a pendulum. Realization exploding in her mind, Ritsuko shot up to the stairs just as the metal sphere came loose from the ceiling, turning Maya's swing into a tumble that landed her on the bridge itself. The mutated woman crashed to her back just past the stations where she had once worked, sending Shigeru and Makoto scrambling to avoid her.

"Everyone, be careful!" Ritsuko warned even as the metalized woman rolled to her feet, her mace-like sphere already retracting along its cable until it was once again secure at the end of her arm. Nano-circuits spreading from her feet whenever they came in contact with another surface, only to retract as she stepped forward. "Whatever you do, don't let her -!"

Before she could complete her warning, the doctor's mouth fell open in horror as Maya advanced towards the exit. And while Fuyutsuki had already gotten a fair distance from the transformed Captain, Gendo was facing her with the same calm he had evidenced throughout this entire crisis. Like she was still the same woman she had been just minutes ago, a being of no consequence whatsoever that he expected to give way to him.

As a result, he had only taken a few steps back, his primary focus on his cell phone and whatever agents he was giving orders to. Only realizing his error when Maya stomped up to him and smacked him with her mace, sending him flying against the wall with the ease of swatting a fly.

"Commander!" Ritsuko heard someone cry out. She wasn't sure if it were herself or someone else. All she knew was that she, Fuyutsuki, and the other techs were rushing over to Gendo's side even as Maya stomped her way off the bridge.

"Don't bother with me," Gendo grumbled even as Ritsuko and the other arrived at his side. The Commander was groaning in pain, but he was still conscious, and was already struggling to regain his feet. "I'm fine. It's nothing serious."

"But, sir -!" Makoto started, staring owlishly at Gendo as he moved to assist him.

_"Don't touch him!"_ Ritsuko barked, freezing the techie with the force of her voice. Only to take a step back when she saw the look of disapproval her order had garnered from her Commander. "I'm sorry, sir, but given how readily Maya was infected, I just thought that…"

"I realize that, Dr. Akagi," Gendo grunted, wincing in pain as he straightened himself out, shedding his jacket in the process. "As I told you, I'm fine."

Pressing her lips tightly together, Ritsuko tried again. "Sir, we don't know that. If even a few nanites managed to -!"

"If I had been infected by the Angel, I think we would have seen signs of it by now, Doctor," Gendo tersely informed her. "And at the moment, we have much larger problems to deal with." He then turned to face the bridge techs. "How long do we have before the Angel can reactivate the MAGI?"

Exchanging a quick look, Makoto started towards his station while Shigeru said, "I'm not sure. About seven minutes when I last looked, but…"

"Then that gives you less than seven minutes to finish reprogramming them," Gendo told them in a voice that made it clear that he was giving them an order. "And while you're dealing with the Angel on that front, I'll take care of our…other problem."

Feeling claws of ice wrap around her heart, Ritsuko looked hard at the man who was effectively signing Maya's death warrant. "Sir, with all due respect, you don't have to do this! If we can capture Maya, then -!"

"There's no time for that, Dr. Akagi," Gendo told her in the same cold voice he always used with her. "We don't know how long we have until the Angel recovers from the EMP. That means we have a limited window of opportunity to terminate it, and I will not waste this chance."

Wincing at this, at the sense of wrongness that was rising up within her, Ritsuko did as she always did. She tried to squelch with scientific logic. "But, sir, how will you do that? If the Angel can still generate an AT-Field, then Section 2 won't be able to do anything about her!"

"You leave that to me," Gendo stated as he turned towards the Sub Commander. "Fuyutsuki, I'm leaving you in charge. Make sure everyone stays on task."

A pit opening up inside of her even as the old professor confirmed he would do the Commander's bidding, Ritsuko watched as Gendo started away. "But, sir!" the doctor began, taking a step forward. "If there's still a chance to save Maya, then -!"

"Doctor, that creature is no longer Captain Ibuki," Gendo declared. Not even bothering to turn and look at her as he left the bridge. "It is the 11th Angel. And I will deal with it in whatever manner I see fit." With this declaration, the bridge doors slid shut behind Gendo. Leaving Ritsuko to slump beneath the weight of his words, the bitter helplessness she had long since learned to live with growing ever more suffocating.

"You heard him, Dr. Akagi," Fuyutsuki intoned from off to her side. Turning about, Ritsuko looked into the old professor's face. A face that seemed to have grown more seemed and lined with age in the past few minutes. "There's nothing more we can do for the Captain. All we can do now is…survive."

Heaving a deep breath, Ritsuko somehow managed a nod. "Yes, sir. I know," she said before looking at the people surrounding her. Feeling the weight of their gazes, their own guilt and disappointment as she struggled to be a scientist. "Alright. You heard him, people. We have work to do."

One by one, Ritsuko saw the others slowly resign themselves to doing what they had to do. To survive at any cost. Dirtying their own souls for the sake of their lives. And after years of doing just that, the doctor knew full well how much it hurt.

_I'm sorry, Maya, _Ritsuko spoke inwardly as she started back down to the MAGI. Wishing that she could make herself heard to the young woman whom she had failed. Completely unaware that Fuyutsuki had been wrong; communications had not gone offline as a result of the systems failures, but had instead been thrown into chaos. Many of the com-lines within NERV had gone on, seemingly at random. And many of her own words, and those of others, had been heard by someone else.

* * *

"Damn, this stuff is good!" one of the Section 2 agents that had invaded Misato's quarters declared around a mouthful of curried chicken.

"Tell me about it," one of his fellows agreed, forking up a piece as well. Before biting down, he looked over at where Chiron was seated. "Hey, Captain! You sure you don't want any of this?"

"No, men. Curry doesn't agree with me," Chiron returned, sitting back next to Misato. Enjoying every moment of barely controlled outrage she felt at watching her current lodgings being ransacked by his men. At her being forced to watch as Section 2, people she had long reviled for their callousness, brutality, and overall worthlessness, wined and dined themselves with the beer and meals Shinji had brought her. Enjoyed the games and movies made available for her use, even pocketing some of them right before her eyes. "Just save me that eel teriyaki and a couple beers. I'll have those after work."

Her mind filled with the outrage bellowed by her own inner beast, Misato glared in disgust at Chiron. "I hope you choke on them, you son of a bitch."

"I doubt that," Chiron smiled, waving the tranq before her eyes. "I have to admit to being surprised, though. I never would have thought the 3rd Child to be such a gourmet." Giving a low chuckle, the Section 2 man leaned in a bit closer. "And here I thought the only reason you took him in was because you needed some sucker to keep that landfill of yours clean."

Stung by this implication, Misato did her best to keep her composure. Knowing full well that anything she said would be met with further barbs from Chiron, she looked away from him. Trying to stifle the images of all the horrible things she would love to do to him and agents, if only they didn't have those damned tranq guns.

"Still, I can't imagine why the damn punk wastes so much time that way. Making gourmet dishes for an animal like you," Chiron went on, enjoying the power he had over her to the fullest. "Considering the sort of swill you enjoy, I would think you get by on dog food."

_Smash him, choke him, break him apart…_ the beast within growled in Misato's mind. Images of all the damage She-Hulk wanted to inflict on Chiron dancing before her eyes. _Rip his arms out, crush his spine…_

_Don't tempt me, _Misato shot back, folding her arms across her chest.

"But I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Chiron went on casually. "After all, a teenage boy with hormones going full steam? I'm sure he must be really impressed by those implants of yours."

_Don't look at him. Don't do anything, _Misato ordered herself. Doing her all to drown the anger, the fury that was trying to rise up, the monster that wanted to take her over. _Don't give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he's pissing you off!_

"So, tell me something," Chiron started again. Victory hanging from every word he spoke. "Have you taken the little bastard into your bed yet?"

Misato's entire body went rigid at this. Her mind emptied in shock, and even the beast was momentarily silenced. But this silence lasted only a second before it recovered, and screeched in outrage. Demanded that Misato give into it, to let it take revenge for Chiron even daring to say such a thing.

But even as Misato shared in the monster's anger, she experienced something else as well. Guilt. Guilt at just how close to home Chiron's insinuation actually came.

Since Shinji had come to live with her, he had dealt with all of Misato's scandalous ways without complaint. Everything from her drinking and sloppiness to her merciless teasing. He had gone into battle at her behest, fighting in the monstrous Unit 01, despite how badly it hurt him. He had been good to her, cared for her better than she had cared for herself. He had fought for her and protected her to best of his ability on that horrible night She-Hulk had very nearly killed Spirit. And since she had moved into her current dwelling, he had made sure to visit her every day, caring for her to the best of his ability, doing his all to chase away the loneliness that shadowed her every day in the depths of NERV. Giving her far more than she would ever of have had the right to ask. And despite all the problems he had, his shyness and lack of confidence, Shinji was undoubtedly the kindest, gentlest, most caring person she had ever met.

There was no doubt in Misato's mind that, if Shinji had been of age, she would have probably at least made a move on him by now. There had even been a few occasions when she had been tempted to do so despite the age gap, occasions in which she had quickly drowned those rogue thoughts in beer. And since she had been interred within her gilded cell, where his smile and companionship were one of the few anchors to reality, to sanity remaining to her, those temptations had grown more and more intense. Even culminating in that moment above Tokyo-3 in which she had awoken to find Shinji kissing her, and finally succumbed to her urges somewhat. And experienced kindness and caring far beyond anything she had experienced before.

While Misato was struggling with memories that she cherished and urges she cursed, Chiron was noting her hesitation, and pouncing on it. "Yeah, I bet you have. It's probably the only way a whore like you could ever get a piece of anything male into bed with her," the Section 2 head declared, his henchmen chuckling in the background. "Kids these days. All hormones and no brains. I'd bet he do anything for you if he thought it would get him another roll in the sack. Heh heh heh…"

The beast within now inarticulate with rage, Misato slowly turned about to look at Chiron. Her eyes slitted with her ire, she stared hard at him, not even taking a bit of satisfaction in the way he jerked back from her. "You can say whatever you want about me, Chiron," she told him in a voice seething with malice and hatred. "But if you say even one more thing about Shinji, I promise you…it will be the _last _thing you say."

Chiron recoiled just a bit more at this. The entire room fell completely silent, and Misato could feel the eyes of every Section 2 agent on her. To her growing ire, the moment didn't last long; Chiron quickly recovered his cool and raised his tranq up so that she was looking straight down the barrel. "I'll say whatever I want about him _and _you…whore."

The urge to surrender to the beast within growing, her body already tensing in anticipation of the change, Misato found herself distracted from her own fury when the lights in her quarters flickered badly. Startled from her own growing fury, she looked about, peripherally aware of the Section 2 agents doing the same. While one of them was squawking in dismay over her game system going down, the lights came back at full strength, but the various computer and the com-unit were scrambled, spewing out static and distorted images.

"What the hell is going on out there?" Misato demanded, wincing at both the sensory overload and the way her inner beast reacted to the fresh fuel for its anger.

"Whatever it is, it's none of your concern," Chiron growled, his focus and his gun still on the purple-haired woman. "Just sit back and - !"

_"Maya!"_ came Ritsuko's voice over the com-system. A voice so filled with horror and anguish that pierced through the air and straight into Misato's heart.

Slowly standing up even as most of the Section 2 people did the same, Misato looked towards the com-unit. Though the holographic display above the table was completely scrambled and the sound was shredded by occasional blasts of static, she could still hear most of what was happening. Enough to hear Maya's grunts and snarls as she was transformed by this latest Angel. Enough to make sense of the panic she was now inspiring in the people on the bridge.

As the drama continued to unfold, Misato became blind to everything else. She no longer heard or cared about what the agents there were doing, or even Chiron answering his cell phone. All she knew that Maya, one of her friends and one of the honest, caring people she had ever met, had had her body taken over and transformed by an Angel. That the monsters that had haunted her for the past fifteen years had claimed another victim, had taken someone else away from her.

_No…dammit, dammit, NO!_ Misato shrieked in her own mind, her shrieks echoed by the outraged howls of her other. Clenching the table that housed her com-unit, seeking some kind of anchorage as she struggled with her fury. The cage that held back the monster already buckling beneath it. _Not another one…damn you monsters! Just how many more lives do you have to destroy before you're finally satisfied?_

"Yes, sir. I understand," came a voice from behind her. A voice that Misato was barely conscious of until it was raised towards her. "Business calls. Commander Ikari has given me new orders. It seems that your replacement has just outlived her usefulness." Slowly turning about, Misato watched as Chiron replaced his cell phone, shaking his head in seeming dismay. "Women these days. Always forgetting their place in a man's world," he muttered before looking back towards his troops. "Keep an eye on the slut. I'll be back once Ibuki is down for her dirt nap."

Amidst a wave of affirmatives, Misato found herself staring hard at the man who had quickly become the bane of her life at NERV. This one statement making Gendo's objective clear. He wasn't going to try and help Maya, wasn't going to take her alive. He was going to do everything in her power to kill her, just for being a victim of the Angels.

_No! Not hurt Maya!_ the beast within roared, its primal voice shrill at this injustice.

_For once, you'll get no arguments from me, _Misato returned even as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sucking in a breath, she whipped about to find one of Chiron's goons standing behind her, a tranq gun leveled at her face.

"You heard the Captain," the agent spoke as he shoved Misato, sending her stumbling forward. "Now why don't you make things easy on yourself and sit your ass back down."

Glaring back at the agent, Misato frowned before stepping forward. Making sure to move slowly as she swung her gaze towards Chiron. The Section 2 head had already put away his tranq gun and was bringing out his NERV ID. In seconds, he would have the door to her quarters open. _Just one chance,_ she thought, knowing full well the weight of the heavily reinforced door. A door that required several seconds to open and close. _Gotta time it just right…_

Her ears perked, Misato slowly went over to her couch, keeping herself aware of the position of both her immediate escort and the other Section 2 agents. All the while listening to the sound of the card reader beeping, the distinctive creaking the door made, she turned about and brought her hands down on the couch's cushions. As she moved to sit down, she watched as Chiron pulled the door further open, almost enough to step through…

_Now!_ Misato growled inwardly. Taking hold of both cushions, she shot from her bent-down position to elbow the agent right in the crotch. While he was bellowing in pain, his hands covering his damaged jewels, Misato flung the cushions up into the air before launching herself at Chiron. The air was filled with the sound of tranq darts being fired, but the cushions foiled the aim of her attackers long enough for the purple-haired woman to crash into their leader and carry him past the door.

"You damned bitch! Let me go!" Chiron snarled as the both of them sprawled against the heavy door. Blanching as he came face-to-face to Misato, who could already feel her body flooding with adrenaline, muscles shifting and bulging, the beast within rising up as she wrapped her burgeoning arm about his throat.

"Now it's my party...ass -!" Misato snarled out, only to be cut off when another volley of tranq darts shot through the air. Though she had already been forcing Chiron about to act as her shield, either she hadn't been fast enough or his goons were better trained than she had ever given them credit for. She gasped as two darts struck home, one on her leg, the other on her arm. Roaring incoherently at the sudden pain, she dragged Chiron further back before kicking the door shut. Even with the transformation in its earliest stages, she had still become strong enough to slam it closed before any more darts could come out after her.

Making sure to keep her hold on Chiron, Misato savagely yanked out the darts one after another before reaching into his coat. "I don't think you'll be needing this," she muttered as she reached into the holster she had seen him place his own tranq gun in. Once she had it in hand, she tossed it as far away as she could before reaching into his coat again.

"Find anything you like, whore?" Chiron wondered, grinning cruelly as he looked back over his shoulder at her.

"Yeah," Misato growled as she found her objective and yanked it from its own holster. The feel of Chiron's own Heckler & Koch handgun refreshingly familiar as she pointed it at his head. She was just in time, for moments later, the rest of Chiron's Section 2 escort managed to get the door open and spill out of her gilded cage. Agents who took aim at her, only to falter when they saw the situation their Captain was in.

"All right, you bastards," Misato snarled as she backed away, keeping her arm wrapped about Chiron's windpipe. "Now unless you want me to ventilate your boss's empty head, you better drop your weapons! And I mean right fucking _now!_"

The agents didn't respond. Instead, they looked as one towards Chiron, questioning him with their gazes. "Go right ahead, men," he croaked out around his compressed windpipe. Shooting Misato a victorious glance out of the corner of his eye, he then added, "She won't be an issue for much longer, anyway."

Grimacing, Misato knew that she was in trouble. The two darts that had struck home were slowly taking effect. The limited transformation she had experienced had already been neutralized, and she could already feel an insidious weakness taking hold. She wasn't drowsy yet, but she couldn't waste time. And more importantly, she couldn't afford to take another hit from those darts.

"Don't bet on it," she muttered, forcing up all the strength and bravado she could summon. "Now hurry up and drop them! Before I decide to drop a few of you as well!" Misato didn't know if this reinforced threat or the look of utter confidence that Chiron still wore that did the job, but it ultimately didn't matter. Within moments, all of them had let their tranq weapons fall to the ground.

"Good boys," Misato growled in her throat as she continued backwards. "Your boss and I are going to take a little walk. So stay put and don't do anything stupid."

Not bothering to fight her, Chiron instead chuckled as they backed towards the door. "You're the one being stupid, slut," he told even as the door slid open, letting them pass into the corridors of NERV. "Do you really think you can save Ibuki? There's nothing you can do for her! She's an _Angel_ now! She's the same kind of animal _you_ are!"

"Yeah?" Misato growled back, ignoring the way her eyelids fluttered as she started towards the nearest elevator. "Well, seeing as this _animal_ has a gun at _your_ head, I think you'd be a little more careful about your language, asshole."

"It's already too late for her. _And _for you, slut," Chiron grinned, almost amused by the whole thing. "You've already got enough sedatives floating in you to flatten an elephant! And if you thinking holding onto me is gonna keep you from keeling over, then you're even dumber than I thought!"

"You know something?" Misato returned as she pulled the gun away from Chiron's head. Snorting out a laugh as she saw the fear that shadowed his face. "For once…you're absolutely right." And with that, she pulled the trigger. Her captive jumping fearfully at the thunderous blast his own weapon released.

The instant the gun was fired, Chiron's mind completely froze up with the certainty that he was dead. But then his training kicked in a moment later, and he realized that he felt no pain. There was no sign of his motor functions being impeded by a bullet bypassing his nervous systems, nothing to indicate that he had actually been shot. Then he heard Misato groan before relinquishing her grip on him, and with a widening of his eyes, realized what had just happened. The smell of blood in the air confirming it long before he actually turned around and saw her stepping away from him, clutching at her side with her free hand. Her medical gown already stained red beneath her hand.

"What – you -?" Chiron got out, trying to make sense of what his former captor had done.

"Just stimulating…some high-octane adrenaline…you sonuvabitch!" Misato grinned, her gun hand shaking as she backed away from him. "Just the thing…to help Greenie rise and shine…wouldn't you agree?"

Sucking in a breath, Chiron felt his hands clenching into fists. He wanted to grab Misato, to beat her and break her arms and make her hurt for daring to humiliate him this way. But she still had his gun, and even worse, her eyes were already glowing with green. The same green that was making its way into her blood, causing her muscles to bulge ever so slightly. And while he wasn't sure that this would be enough to offset the effect of the tranquilizers, Chiron had seen enough action to know when it was time to cut his losses.

"It doesn't matter, slut. You won't be able to save Ibuki!" Chiron muttered as Misato continued to back away. "All you can do is choose who kills her! You…or _me!_"

"We'll just…see about that…!" Misato snarled before finally turning about. Clamping down on the pain and her injury, she made her way to the nearest elevator. Leaving Chiron to stare after her, thinking every evil thing he could about her, before starting towards the next available elevator.

_You humiliated Section 2 once before, slut! _Chiron snarled inwardly, plotting the course that would lead him to the team he had selected for this mission was waiting. _But if you think I'm going to let that green beast of yours make fools of us again, then you're wrong. _Dead_ wrong!_

* * *

As Shinji made his way through NERV, looking up and down the various hallways as he passed them, he honestly felt like he was going out of his mind.

In the short time since his arrival, he had seen more personnel fleeing NERV, and had been stopped more than once. Time and again, he had been forced to lie, to explain that he had been summoned there by his father. It had been his great fortune that no one had been willing to spend the time needed to contact the bridge, whether because they didn't want to risk Gendo's wrath or staying on base any longer than they had to, but that had been just the beginning of Shinji's difficulties.

Despite his efforts, Shinji still had no real idea what was happening, or what kind of danger Hikari had sensed. He hadn't been able to ask any of the fleeing personnel, simply because he didn't want to betray his own excuse for being there. And if the limited commentary he had overheard were any indication, none of the people being evacuated knew what was going on, either. And the evacuees had finally trickled out and were gone, Shinji found that he was even more clueless than he had been to begin with.

_There's…nothing wrong, _Shinji found himself thinking as he navigated the base. Aside from the absence of personnel, there was nothing to indicate a problem of any kind. There was no damage to any of the walls, the lights were working just fine, and the only sound was the usual electronic hum in the background. _But…if there was an Angel or something else attacking…there'd be at least a little damage…wouldn't there?_

Frowning his uncertainty, Shinji paused in his explorations and pondered what to do. What he really wanted to do was continue down to Misato's quarters and make certain that she was still safe, or at least still there, but there were still many levels between him and there, and he still had no idea what Hikari had sensed. And while he had considered simply going to the bridge and asking there, that raised its own problems. For while he had been able to convince the NERV personnel he had encountered so he had a legitimate reason for being here, he doubted he'd be able to fool Ritsuko or Maya, let alone Fuyutsuki or his father.

_I mean…I guess I could just say that I was here visiting Misato…but then they'd be wondering why I didn't leave when I saw there was an evacuation, _Shinji thought morosely. _And if they find out Horaki-chan called me just before I left…_ Letting out a morose sigh, he found himself wondering if Kensuke's paranoid mind was rubbing off on him just a little too heavily. After all, the odds of them making such a connection were pretty high, to say the least.

But at the same time, Shinji couldn't help but worry. With the near confirmation that Jet Alone had been sabotaged, he didn't want to think about what might happen if his father had even the slightest suspicion that Hikari was the one who had prompted his visit. And given the number of people in his life that had met with tragedy, he didn't want to take the chance on making a mistake that would spell disaster for Hikari and her family.

_At least whatever's happening, Misato isn't responsible for it, _Shinji found himself thinking at one point. Her She-Hulk persona was many things, but 'quiet' and 'subtle' were not amongst them. _But what else could be down here? And -?_

Before he could give any further thought to the matter, a strange, guttural growl echoed through the halls, and was followed by a distinct screeching of metal being torn apart. His hairs standing on end, Shinji looking about, trying to pinpoint the source of the sounds. _Misato?_ he wondered, taking a step in what he guessed was the right direction. His guess was confirmed when another animalistic growl reached his ears, causing the boy to momentarily forget caution and dash forward.

As he continued onward, Shinji heard other noises in the direction he was going in. Some of them he couldn't identify, while others were grunts and growls of various inflections. But as he got closer and closer, he found himself frowning deeply. After all the years Shinji had spent practicing the cello, he had developed a keen ear for sound pitch and tone. And while the sounds he heard were about as animalistic as She-Hulk's, they were too high-pitched to have come from her.

Something else was loose in NERV. Something potentially dangerous.

_Maybe this is what the big emergency is all about,_ Shinji thought, feeling a dark chill running through him. Memories of how he had dangled helplessly from the Rhino's hand returning to him, the boy faltered worriedly, his fears returning to him in force. _But…no. I…I have to keep going, _he finally decided, once again squelching his terrors. _I…I haven't been able to do anything to help Misato…or anyone else. I can't just give up now!_

Sucking in deep, heavy breath, then exhaling, Shinji edged over to the wall. With the feel of cold metal reassuring him, he started forward again, though more cautiously. His thoughts torn between the need to help those he cared for…and the grunts and growls and heavy breathing of whatever creature he was approaching.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Shinji gasped and froze up completely when he saw a large figure lumber into view at the other end of the hall. Flattening himself against the wall and trying to look invisible, he studied the massive being pass by. A figure that was hunched forward, and its skin shone with a metallic glint. And most importantly to Shinji, a figure that didn't bother looking in his direction.

Sweat forming on his brow, Shinji kept perfectly still as the towering being passed by, not even relaxing when it was out of sight. It was only when its footfalls diminished somewhat that the boy was finally able to push himself away from the wall and take a tentative step towards where he had seen the creature. _What…what was that…?_ Shinji thought before cautiously pressing forward. Doing his best to render his every footfall completely silent, he finally came to the corner and peered around it.

Once again, Shinji felt a chill at the sight of the massive figure he saw. Though it was already a fair distance away, he could discern female attributes beneath and about the being's tattered clothes, and it seemed to wearing a heavy gauntlet on its right forearm. And it was grunting and moaning like…

_Wait a minute…_ Shinji thought as he edged closer, his brow furrowed with concentration. He had spent a fair amount of time with She-Hulk, both in the research facility and out in the open, and had heard her convey a wide range of emotions with a simple growl. And the sounds this creature, whatever or whoever it was, were not the sounds of something on a rampage, or that even wanted to hurt anyone. _And the way it's moving…it's like its sick!_

Pressing his lips together, Shinji gathered his courage and started after the creature. Watching every move it made and keeping aware of every possible escape route, he followed her from what he considered to be a safe distance. If this new she-creature was aware of his presence or even cared about it, she gave no sign of it. Instead, she kept marching forward until she came to a computer access panel. She then turned to look at it…at which point Shinji got his first good look at the creature's face. Nearly leaving him to collapse in horror.

"M…Maya…?" Shinji fumbled out, almost falling from the shock. When the mutated woman looked in his direction, grunting inquisitively, he brought his hands to his mouth before practically flying into the ceiling. But while his heart was thundering in his ears, Maya shuddered visibly before looking back towards the panel that had drawn her interest. Drawing back her gauntleted arm, she fired it into the panel, smashing it effortlessly. Keening in fear and surprise, Shinji shielded his face from the ensuing sparks and debris, backing away and watching as Maya's entire body crackled with electricity.

_What is she -? _Shinji demanded inwardly. His question answered when Maya released a deep sigh of satisfaction, her face relaxing to the current. _Oh, my…she's absorbing the electricity! She's actually _feeding _on it!_

With this realization, Shinji knew he had no longer had any choice. While he had never spent a lot of time with Maya, he knew her to be a kind, gentle woman. Whatever had caused her transformation, she didn't deserve this fate any more than Misato deserved hers. And if there was anything he could do to help her, then he had no choice but to do it. With a quick look about his surroundings, he sighted nearby com-panel and went to it. Hoping that it was still functioning, and could provide him with a direct link to the bridge.

* * *

"There. That does it," Ritsuko muttered. Wiping her brow free of sweat, the faux-blonde leaned back against the interior ofCasper. Feeling no satisfaction, no triumph whatsoever as she looked at the computer board in her lap. "The Angel has been completely reprogrammed, and is now functioning in perfect synchronization with the MAGI."

"Are you sure, Dr. Akagi?" came Fuyutsuki's voice from just outside the MAGI. "Given what happened with the EMP, are you sure that the Angel will remain that way? Or that the MAGI…?"

"Don't worry, sir," Ritsuko returned. "I've already double-checked all the MAGI's systems. And it seems their backups came through unharmed. Any of the data and programming that was damaged by the pulse has already been restored. They're perfectly functional, despite everything."

"I see," Fuyutsuki muttered dispassionately. "And what of the Angel? What's it status?"

Wincing at this reminder, that she was effectively surrounded by the thing that corrupted her friend while she stood helplessly, Ritsuko heaved a heavy sigh. Shifting about, she got on her hands and knees and started out. "Well, we'll have to keep tabs on it for now, but the portion in the MAGI and the rest of the base shouldn't be a problem," she explained as she crawled out into the open. Looking up and meeting Fuyutsuki's gaze as she got to her feet, the faux-blonde slowly got to her feet. "From what I can tell, the EMP hit the Angel hard. Not only did it disrupt the nano-machines' physiology, but it completely scrambled their programming."

"So. They're all blank slates, then," Fuyutsuki muttered. No signs of victory in his eyes or his words. "It would seem Lieutenant Mifune was correct, then."

"Yeah. Chihiro was right," Ritsuko nodded somberly. Giving the old professor a sad smile, she added, "Maya…she did good, choosing her." She was about to say something else, she felt like she _had _to say something more. Anything to commemorate the young woman that had been her friend. But ultimately, all the scientific logic at her command proved unable to keep what she truly felt at bay. And the pain she had tried to bottle up alongside the years' worth of agonies she had kept inside escaped. Now it was free to leave the scientist sagging beneath its weight, her face creasing with misery as her eyes welled up with tears. "Maya…"

"I know," Fuyutsuki spoke, placing his hand on her shoulder and conveying as much comfort with that gesture as she could. "There was nothing any of us could have done."

Sniffing loudly, Ritsuko wiped away the tears that were making their way down her face. "Yeah," she muttered with deep bitterness. "The story of our lives."

"Yes," Fuyutsuki nodded. "It would certainly seem that way." Squeezing her eyes shut, Ritsuko brought her hands to her eyes, hiding them and her pain from the rest of the world as the old professor wrapped his free arm about her. His tears long since used up by everything he had seen and been a part of, but still capable of hurting and feeling for those that were hurting as well.

"Commander! You better get up here!" Makoto cried out. The two of them pulled apart somewhat and looked up to see the techie craning over his console and looking down at them with a phone in his hand. "I've got the Major on the line here!"

Their minds instantly blank, Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki looked at each other, then back up at the tech. The fact that Makoto would risk discussing Misato when so many people who weren't aware of her condition hitting home, the two of them virtually flew up the stairs and were soon at his side. When Makoto held the phone out to the doctor, she quickly tore it from his hand and cupped it to her mouth and ear. "Misato? Is that you?"

"Heh…who else…could it be, Rits?" came the voice of her best friend from college. A voice that was heavy with pain and determination.

"What the -?" Ritsuko started, shaking her head as she struggled with what she was hearing. Her confusion mixing with the pain that still hovered about her, and giving birth to bellow of rage. "Misato, what the hell are you doing on this line? What happened? And where _are _you, anyway?"

"That's…not important, Rits…" Misato returned in the voice of authority. A voice that was punctuated with an agonized groan. "Listen…I need your help…"

Nodding shakily, Ritsuko replied, "Right. Just give me your location, and I'll get a medical team to you as soon as I -!"

"That's – not what I…meant…!" Misato countered with more than a bit of snarl to her voice. Ritsuko could practically see her friend's body shifting about, emerald fury flowing through her. "Where…where is…Maya?"

Sucking in gasp of surprise, Ritsuko glanced at the phone like it was about to bite her. "But- h-how did you -?"

"That's not…important!" Misato growled, the sound of cloth ripping in the background. "Just…tell me where…she is!" The woman on the other end of the line sucked in a heavy breath before trying again. "This damned Angel…I can feel it from…all over. Can't…lock in on her…I need you to tell me…where she is."

"I…I don't know where…" Ritsuko confessed. "Our security systems are still screwed up, and…Misato, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you in your -?"

"I _said_…that's not important!" Misato gasped out feverishly. "Listen, Rits…you can't let…Chiron do this. You can't…we can still save her, and…"

"Misato, no…" Ritsuko moaned, as much to herself as to her friend. "She…the Angel has completely taken over her body, and…"

"Don't – give me that – Rits!" Misato retorted, groaning her agony. "Don't tell me…there's nothing…you can do for her. Not after…all the work you've been doing…for me!"

Wincing at this, Ritsuko hesitated before speaking again. "It's…not the same, Misato. Maya…she's become too dangerous!"

"Not…for Greenie, I bet," Misato returned, a bit of a laugh lacing her pained words. "And while she keeps…Maya busy…you can figure out a way…to help her."

"But…Commander Ikari…" Ritsuko murmured, the scornful face of her sometimes lover looming in her mind's eye. "He's already ordered for her -!"

"To hell with that…Ritsuko Akagi!" Misato snarled in response. "If there's any chance – we can save Maya – then you damn well better believe – I have to take it!" Heavy, ragged breaths filled the doctor's ears as the Major gathered herself up. "Now...how did this thing…get Maya, anyway?"

Pressing her lips tightly together, Ritsuko then gave Misato a hurried account of what had happened. "My guess is that the collective in Maya was blanked before it escaped the MAGI, just like the rest of the Angel! It's acting on pure instinct, and it'll do anything it can to survive! It'll go anywhere, attack anyone, and -!"

"Not if Greenie…keeps her busy!" Misato corrected. "Come on, Rits…you're the one…with the brains. You can…figure out…how to help her! We can't…just let her die…without even trying…!"

_Do you really think I _want _her to die? _Ritsuko demanded inwardly, her mind being torn in different directions. Part of her dearly wanted to help her friend, to help _both _her friends. Another part was considering the various possibilities and problems involved in doing so. And a final part that could still see Gendo looming overhead, wielding the power of life and death over all of them. A part of her that had long since been beaten into submission. _But…even if Misato is able to find Maya, She-Hulk is too unpredictable! Without anyone to guide her, she might try to kill Maya anyway! Assuming the two of them don't team up and go on a rampage through the city!_

Just as Ritsuko was considering these and even more frightening possibilities, Shigeru piped up from his position. "Commander! Doc! You're not gonna believe this!" Turning about, the people who had been addressed saw him with a phone to his ears. "I've got Shinji on the line here! He says he's here on base! _With Maya!_"

Staring goggle-eyed at the long-haired guitarist, Ritsuko felt her mind empty with confusion. Stifling the urge to ask why on Earth Shinji was on base during an evacuation, the doctor immediately jumped to more important matters. "Then tell him to get away from her! If she attacks him, he might killed! Or infected! Or -!"

"He says she's not really doing anything right now," Shigeru cut in before she could really get on a roll. "She seems to be using the generator to absorb power from the base electrical system. She's completely ignoring him."

Turning towards her, Fuyutsuki wondered, "What's this all mean, Doctor?"

"Hey, Rits…?" Misato growled over the line. "What's going on…there?"

"Just hold on, Misato!" Ritsuko instructed, the scientist requiring a few extra seconds to make sense of what was going after everything that had happened. "The generator…it can't hold an infinite charge. So the Angel must be using it to process electrical current into usable energy."

"And what about the boy?" Fuyutsuki persisted. "If Maya is aware of him, then why doesn't she…?"

This required even more time to answer, simply because it made no sense. The Angels had been unceasingly aggressive in pursuing their goals, attacking anyone or anything that got in their way. Even self-destructing themselves in order to pave the way for future Angels. That one wouldn't attack just didn't make sense at all.

_Unless…!_ Ritsuko then thought, her mind lighting up with inspiration. "It doesn't remember…!"

"Doctor?" Fuyutsuki wondered.

"As I explained, sir, the EMP wiped the memory of the Angel's nanites. They have no memory of anything that's happened before the pulse hit them. They may not even be able to remember anything right now! Even…even that they should be trying to get to Terminal Dogma!" Ritsuko explained, making sense of her theory even as she gave it voice. "If that's so, sir, then all we're dealing with is the Angel's basic survival instinct!"

"But…certainly its chances of survival increase if it attacks others, spread to other hosts…" Fuyutsuki rejoined.

"Yes, but the Angel might not realize that! Remember, it jumped from the MAGI, then to Maya's laptop, then to Maya herself!" Ritsuko went on, gaining strength with each word she spoke. "She was working on the program that we used to reprogram the Angel when it happened! Even though it wasn't ready, if the Angel somehow picked up on that, that co-existing with its host was its only chance of survival -!"

"Then it will do everything in its power to stay inside Ibuki, to keep her alive," Fuyutsuki replied, frowning as something occurred to him. "But if it absorbed the program, then why isn't it working in synch with her, like with the MAGI?"

"The program must not be complete enough for that," Ritsuko explained. The instant this was said, her eyes went wide with realization. "And…if I could…complete the program…and load it into Maya's nanites…"

Ritsuko was unable to finish her statement, simply because it was too incredible for her to believe. But as she stood there and thought it over, looking it at from every possible angle, the scientist in her sounded off on it. For while the risks were definitely high, the base theory was sound. More than sound. It was rock solid. All she had to do was complete the program on Maya's laptop, spread it the nanites controlling her…and she could save her. She could actually save her friend's life.

_But…the Commander…he already gave the order…!_ Another part of Ritsuko's mind countered, fearful of Ikari's wrath. _And how are you going to finish the program if her laptop's infected? Or load into her body? Or get her to sit still long enough for you to do any of that?_

Even as these things came to the fore, however, Ritsuko thought of other things. Of all the horrors she had stained her hands and soul with, just to stay alive. Of the many cruel acts that bore her name. Of the hideous nightmare that she had long since become a part of. And most importantly, how she had already failed a dear friend once before, all in the name of keeping herself safe.

_I already let this happen to Misato, _Ritsuko thought miserably, tears once again threatening to overtake her. _And now I'm going to sit back and let it happen to Maya, when there's actually a chance I can still do something to help her?_ Grinding her teeth together, the weight of her own sins practically crushing her, the scientist gasped as she once again felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up in surprise, she saw Fuyutsuki smiling at her.

"Dr. Akagi," Fuyutsuki spoke tenderly. His aged face seeming a few years younger as he beamed his support. "I think it's safe to say…that we all want to save Ibuki." He then looked about at the people around them, people whose gazes were all firmly locked on them both. "Isn't that right?"

"You better believe we do!" Makoto piped up.

"Damn straight!" Shigeru chimed in, thumping on his console for emphasis. "She's our friend, too! Remember?"

"Don't forget about us!" Chihiro exclaimed, her friends making noises of agreement. "We're right behind you, Doctor!"

Looking about at these people, these innocent, naïve, unsoiled souls that were lending her their support, Ritsuko lowered her gaze, and allowed one tear to fall from her eyes. "Shigeru…where's Shinji calling from?"

"Huh?" Shigeru got out, only to be prompted by her looking harder at him. "Uh, give me a second! I'll check!"

Momentarily satisfied, Ritsuko returned her attention to the phone. "Misato, I'll have her location in a second. Just hold on!"

"Sure thing…" Misato groaned, then laughed. "It's not like…I'm going anywhere…"

Holding the phone away from her head, Ritsuko looked down towards the techies below. "Chihiro, you and the others check Maya's laptop! We need to try and pull up the program she was working on! But make sure you handle it with kid gloves; the last thing we need is for anyone else to become infected!"

"Doctor! I've got Shinji's location!" Shigeru spoke up even as Chihiro and the others went to work. "He says Maya's still there!"

"Great!" Ritsuko returned even as Shigeru passed along the vital information. "Misato! Maya's on Level 3! And Shinji's with her!"

"Shinji's with -?" Misato squawked, the force of her voice like a bullet through the faux-blonde's brain. "But what is he -?"

"No time to explain now! Just get there as soon as you can!" Ritsuko explained, almost panting with excitement. Then another factor occurred to her, at which she brought her hand to her head. "Uh, I take it transforming isn't going to be a problem?"

This elicited a laugh from the purple-haired woman. "Rits…since when has it _ever _been tough…to get _me_ to blow my stack?"

"I'll take that as a no," Ritsuko decided, even as Misato groaned and growled. "In fact, I'd say you're about halfway there already." With that, the scientist returned the phone to Makoto. "Alright, people! We've got a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it! So let's get cooking already! Maya's life is riding on us!"

"Yes, sir!" the techies about her chorused in response.

"I'll contact Chiron. See if I can stall him," Fuyutsuki broke in. "Then I'll give Ikari this new information. Maybe we can stop this thing before it gets worse."

"Right," Ritsuko nodded, gazing at the old professor. "Thank you, sir."

"You don't need to thank me, Doctor," Fuyutsuki told her easily. "It feels good. Doesn't it?"

"Yes," Ritsuko agreed, a sad, tired, and grateful smile tugging her lips. "It certainly does…"

* * *

Author's Notes: You know, I really thought I'd be able to get to the big fight scene I had planned, but this chapter just kept getting longer and there was just so much I wanted to get covered, so…oh, well. Sorry to disappoint you all. I just hope the great big blowout I've got planned will make up for it. So until then, please, read and review! And maybe check out my other stories as well?

By the way, I can't believe nobody picked up on Misato carving the fourth wall a new one last chapter!

Now, those of you who are fans of Spirit might be mad about me making her sit this one out, but this is Misato's story. And I think it would be ridiculous to involve her in everything that happens here. Besides, in her story, she was extremely hesitant to try and go after this Angel. With everything that's been happening to her so far, I think she would be even more reluctant to go and fight.

Xardion, Kaji has never struck me as someone who thought about the dangers of doing something stupid. And as we've seen here, Maya's responsibilities are now the least of her worries.

The Wandering Soul of 1014, just keep an eye on my next chapter.

Ryousanki, we'll have to wait a bit to see the results of SEELE's scheming. I just hope it'll be worth the wait.

Quathis, Maya isn't just getting the short end of the sticks, she's getting the whole forest. Fuyutsuki sure did rub me wrong in that episode. And I certainly would enjoy giving Kaji another trip via She-Hulk Air. Shinji's development and his role in the Brigade has been my plan for him in this story for the longest time. And I agree; Kaji deserves what he got in the last omake more than Ritsuko. And who wouldn't love a major free-for-all between the various Superwomen?

Mike313, I agree that the age gap is an issue, and its one I've already got plans for addressing. But I just think that it's not an issue that would come immediately to mind in that situation. As for Maya's involvement in this chapter, well, for the details on that, just check out the omake…

Omake

"Alright, Orion! What's the big idea?" Misato demanded as she marched into the fanfic writer's office. Green spitting from her eyes as she thumped both hands on his desk.

"Why, hello, Misato!" Orion replied. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"You better believe something's wrong! Take a look at _this!_" Misato snarled, jerking her thumb over her shoulder, just as Ritsuko entered as well. The faux-blonde scientist a wearing nothing but tattered scraps of cloth about her heavily muscled, gamma-mutated frame.

"I'm looking, Misato!" Orion grinned. "Believe me, _I'm looking!_"

"And you're loving every minute of it, aren't you?" Ritsuko cooed playfully even as she flexed a mountainous bicep. "And so am I, for that matter!"

A vein bulging from her forehead, Misato fixed the fanfic writer with a steely glare. "Look, tell me what the hell is going on here! First you let Ritsuko turn herself into a gamma mutant in the omakes, and now you've turned Maya into a female version of -!"

"Uh-uh-uh!" Orion broke in, waving his finger warningly. "Don't forget, Misato! First we do the debut of a super-powered character in one chapter, then the big reveal in the next one! That's my _modus operandi_, after all!"

"Fine, whatever! But what the hell are you thinking, pulling a stunt like this, anyway?" the Major screeched angrily. "You of all people should know Maya's supposed to be Ms. Fantastic in these stories!"

"Not necessarily," Orion countered reasonably. "Now, why don't you sit down, Misato, and let me explain." Snorting in disgust, Misato glared at the fanfic writer for a time, but eventually conceded to his wish. "Thank you. Now, before I begin, I realize that it's basically a prerequisite that your She-Hulk and Maya's Ms. Fantastic are going to duke it out at least one or two times in these stories. After all, given the number of times the Hulk and the Thing have gone at it, not to mention all those other great heavyweight fights throughout comic history, the readers will definitely be demanding it." Heaving a sigh, Orion then sat back in his chair. "However, when I was planning out this part of the story, I found that bringing Ms. Fantastic into the mix – at least right away – would leave me with all kinds of problems."

"Problems?" Misato repeated blankly. "What kind of problems?"

"_Tons_ of them," Orion returned, shaking his head sadly. "Now, first of all, one of the things I like to do with these stories is to make sure that all the characters have a real role to play in them. Especially Shinji, seeing his major role in NGE in general and as the significant other of each of you in your individual stories. And whether it's as big as helping the lady find hope or just being a morality pet, I don't want to do anything to invalidate that role."

"Okay," Misato nodded, understanding the logic of this.

"Now, Shinji's role in this story is helping you, and in order to do that, he has to confront all kinds of nastiness to find the truth behind NERV, and become stronger as a person," Orion went on. "But if I bring in Ms. Fantastic, with her nanites filled with information from the MAGI, then his role is completely invalidated because she does all the work for him!" When Misato looked blankly at the fanfic writer, he spread his hands in emphasis. "Think about it! If Maya came into all that knowledge, and was aware of other Superwomen were presently active and she had a good chance of finding them – such as Spirit, for example – she would try and alert them to what was going on! And then Spirit would tell Shinji about everything, and then…"

"I get the idea," Misato grumbled, cutting him off. "And that's why you brought in the EMP thing. To wipe the nanites' memory. But why the change in Maya's powers?"

"That's obvious! Because if I go ahead and have her be Ms. Fantastic later, I don't want Gendo knowing where to find her!" Orion returned. "Let's face it. Maya goes nuts with her Ms. Fantastic powers while in NERV, where everyone, including Gendo, can see her. Then this strange woman shows up with _the exact same powers_ and starts putting the screws to him, and he's not going to figure out that Maya's somehow involved? Not even _Hitomi_ would be enough to fool him in a situation like that! And it's not like I can't have her go Ms. Fantastic when Ritsuko reprograms her nanites!" As Misato frowned in agreement, Orion grinned wickedly. "Besides…just think of the possibilities this opens up!"

"Possibilities?" Misato echoed, already knowing that she wasn't going to like this.

"Why, sure! We've already established that each of the SOE stories are separate! And I've already got people on the lookout, wondering which of you ladies will be putting in a cameo as a hero!" Orion explained, leaning over his desk like a hawk. "But what if we go the other way around? Instead of having you girls show up as heroes…why not have you turn into _villains_ instead?"

"V- _villains?_" Misato gaped in horror. "Wh-where the hell did you get an idea like _that?"_

"Well, I wish I could say I came up with all on my own…but I'd be lying," Orion admitted. "In fact, Emperor Nescaro, who actually came up with the idea of zapping Eva ladies with gamma radiation before I even got into fanfic writing, also thought of making them evil as well. I've also seen a story or two with Eva femmes gone evil, and some of my reviewers have also suggested making you ladies into baddies as well." Then he raised an eyebrow at the purple-haired woman. "Besides, Marvel has played with that idea as well. Did you know that Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four actually went around in black-and-red leather with a spiked collar as the malevolent Malice, Mistress of Hate? Or that Colossus from the X-Men once hooked up with the forces of evil? Heck, the Silver Surfer once worked for _Galactus_, for crying out loud!"

"Okay, okay! I get the…" Misato grumbled, only for her eyes to go wide. "Now, wait a minute! Does that mean you're planning on having _me _go evil in one of your stories?"

"Well, it's definitely a possibility!" Orion declared, rubbing his hands together. "And as it happens, I've already got -!"

"Hey!" Ritsuko squawked, her eyes lighting up with an even deeper green. "Is that why you've let me parade around as a gamma mutant? You're planning on making me an evil muscle girl?"

"Uh, yeah! I mean, I wasn't thinking of leaving you green, but…" Orion then trailed off, sweat rolling down his face as he watched Misato explode out of her clothes as she changed into She-Hulk, even as Ritsuko cracked her knuckles menacingly. "Um…I'm in big trouble, aren't I?"

"You better believe it," Misato growled before shattering Orion's desk in a single blow.

"Ah…ahahaha…" Orion chuckled nervously as the two gamma mutants slowly advanced. "In that case…next stop, the fourth wall! Exit, stage right!" With that, the fanfic writer began running as fast as he could, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake as the two gamma gals began their pursuit.


	17. War Within

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 17: War Within

_Damn!_ Chiron thought feverishly as he stood in the armory, his muscles still burning and heart pounding from the sheer amount of effort he had put forth to reach it. Felt these things...and ignored them. _Blast it all! I don't have time for this!_

Pausing in his efforts, Chiron looked over his shoulder at the other Section 2 agents that were present. All of them having responded to his orders, orders that had hastily been barked out as he had made his way to armory. All of them currently strapping on ammunition belts and other equipment, and gathering up rocket launchers, assault rifles, grenades. Every high-end ordinance that they could carry, they were strapping on. All in preparation to kill an Angel given human form.

Processing the sounds of clips of ammunition being slammed in place and body armor being snapped together, Chiron found himself appreciating the fact that NERV was presently in a state of emergency. Not only had the D-Class personnel been evacuated, thus substantially reducing the number of random elements that could interfere with him, but as was standard operating procedure in such a situation, all of the higher end Section 2 personnel were on full alert and had been awaiting orders from him. And thus had been ready and waiting when he had contacted them via his cell phone, ordering them to report there and to prepare for action.

"Alright, men," Chiron announced as he finished snapping the lightweight body armor on, "our target is Captain Maya Ibuki. She has been infected by the Angel that has invaded the base, and is to be considered extremely dangerous." Bristling somewhat at being forced to categorize a woman as such, the Section 2 head looked up at the men standing before him, all of them alert and ready for action. "Current intel indicates that she's attempting to escape from NERV, and perhaps the Geofront itself. Our objective is to terminate her before she can do so. With _extreme_ prejudice. Is that understood?"

_"Yes, sir!"_ the Section 2 men before him responded in unison. Their voices crisp, clear, professional, and military to the core.

Pausing for a moment to think of what he wouldn't give for more troops like that, Chiron donned his headset before continuing, "Be advised to keep your distance from her. If the Angel's nanites could infect her, there's a strong chance that they could infect any one of us. So avoid contact with her at all costs." Hefting up an assault rifle, he pumped the action on it, savoring the sound it made. "If any one comes in contact with her, assume that he or she has been infected...and terminate them. Understood?"

_"Yes, sir!"_ the Section 2 men answered without hesitation.

"Also, be advised that Katsuragi has managed to escape her enclosure," Chiron added, trying very hard not to choke on this admission. "She is injured, and there is a chance that she has either transformed or is unconscious." Letting out a mild snort as he thought back to when he last seen her, a pained grin of triumph on her face as she retreated to a nearby elevator, his gun in hand. "If she's unconscious, than the Commander will want her treated for her injuries before being returned to her enclosure. However, if she _has _transformed, then you are _not _to engage her. We'll let the big brass deal with her later." His men nodded quickly to this, giving the Section 2 head a rarely experienced sense of satisfaction. "Now, any questions?" Chiron asked, expecting there to be none. To his surprise and annoyance, one hand promptly shot up. "What is it?"

"What if our weapons prove to be ineffective, sir?" the agent in question asked, still using that same, professional voice.

It was a reasonable question, Chiron was forced to admit. Especially given Section 2's disastrous encounters with She-Hulk in the past. "If that happens, then we will have no choice than to contact the JSSDF, and arrange for an airstrike. In that situation we will have to lure Ibuki outside of the Geofront, to an open area...so they can napalm her straight to hell." Glancing from face to face, checking for any negative reactions the men under him might have to this, pleased when he saw none. "Are there any other questions?"

A moment passed, a moment in which no further hands were raised. The men before him stood tall and ready. Ready to fight to the death at his command, as they should be.

Satisfied, Chiron nodded and ordered, "Very well, then. Everyone, stay on my six." With that order, the Section 2 started forward. The footsteps that he heard echoing behind him as they headed out into the hallways of NERV making it clear that his troops were following close behind in perfect formation.

_Excellent. Everything's going as it should,_ Chiron thought, a feral, excited smile curling his lips as he imagined what was to come. A chance to rid himself of the stigma of disgrace suffered as a result of Section 2's utter failure to stop She-Hulk. _You might as forget about Ibuki right now, slut! _he thought, picturing the woman he despised of all others. _Because she'll be nothing more than an ugly stain on the ground before you can even get to her! Assuming you haven't already passed out, you dumb bitch!_

Chuckling mildly to himself as he and his men marched along, Chiron imagined himself after the battle, visiting Misato in her hospital room, doped up on tranquilizers as they stitched up the hole she had blown in her side. He pictured the horror on her face when he told her that her attempts to stimulate her freakish transformation failed, and that while she was lying on the floor, half-dead because of her own stupidity, he and his men had blown Ibuki straight to hell, saving the world from an Angel in the process. _Yeah, that sure would serve her right,_ he thought before reluctantly putting those delightful images to the side. _But first things first. After all, I can't celebrate my little victory until I've won it. Still, that shouldn't be too -_

Chiron was brought to the present when his cell phone sounded for his attention. Wincing and groaning and giving himself a mental kick for tempting the fates, even in silence, he brought forth his phone and flipped it open in one easy motion. "Chiron here."

"Fuyutsuki speaking," came the familiar voice of the Sub Commander. "Chiron, I have an update on the situation."

"Speak quickly then, sir," Chiron responded, speaking more freely than he would have dared with Commander Ikari. Unlike Gendo, Fuyutsuki didn't understand the need for brutality, and more importantly, he wasn't the true voice of power at NERV.

"Dr. Akagi has been analyzing the nanites that infected Captain Ibuki, and she believes that it is possible that they can safely neutralized without harm to her." Clenching his teeth at this revelation, Chiron felt his insides twisting with suspicion as to the Sub Commander's next words. Suspicion that was promptly confirmed when Fuyutsuki went on to say, "Ibuki is presently on Level 1, and is making her way towards the main entrance. I want you and your men to take up station on Level 2, and then standby for further orders."

The Sub Commander's words hitting him like a ton of bricks from above, Chiron strained to maintain his composure. "Sir, with all due respect, that is not your call to make. I was given my orders by Commander Ikari himself, so until he countermands them himself, I'm staying on task."

"Commander Ikari is presently unaware of these developments, Captain!" Fuyutsuki countered, an added note of desperation to his words.

"Then it is my recommendation that you make him aware of these developments, sir," Chiron retorted with an air of triumph. "Because until I hear otherwise from him, Ibuki's still a target. Chiron out." Not giving Fuyutsuki a chance to say anything more, the Section 2 head snapped his phone shut. "Damned bleeding hearts..." he muttered beneath his breath, a comment that was met by a muted laugh from a couple of his men. "C'mon, men! We've got a job to do!"

With this declaration, Chiron accelerated, his men easily matching his pace. Determined to get the job done before the senile old fool that was Gendo's second-in-command did something to foul everything up.

* * *

Grunting at the sound of the line being disconnected, Fuyutsuki lowered his cell phone and shot a poisonous glare at it. As he found himself wishing he was still young and foolish enough that taking the wretched thing and smashing it to pieces would make him feel better, he heard Ritsuko asking, "I take it Chiron wasn't willing to cooperate."

"An excellent guess, Dr. Akagi," Fuyutsuki grumbled, setting aside the phone for a moment. "What progress has been made with Ibuki's laptop?"

"Not much," Ritsuko admitted as she glanced over to where Makoto, Shigeru, and Chihiro were working. "The laptop was hit bad by the EMP, and the operating system was scrambled. They're using the MAGI to try and access its data and reconstruct it, but we still need some time to work."

Nodding to this, Fuyutsuki replied, "Then you better not waste any time. Keep working with the Major and 3rd Child, and I'll try and get through to Ikari."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko nodded before returning her attention to her own duties.

Pausing to admire the intensity with which Ritsuko and the others worked, Fuyutsuki looked back down at his cell phone and hit the appropriate speed dial. When it started ringing, he put it back to his ears and hoped that his former student hadn't turned his own phone off or anything else.

After ringing five times, there was a clicking sound, followed by a labored voice saying, "Commander Ikari here. Report, Fuyutsuki."

"Ikari?" Fuyutsuki blankly responded, taken aback by the heavy, strained voice with which his former student had spoken. Flashing back to when the mutated Captain Ibuki had struck him with her mace-like gauntlet, he narrowed his eyes in concern. "Are you alright?"

A beat passed before Gendo answered, "My condition is none of your concern, Sub Commander. Now, what it is you want?"

Again given pause, both by the swiftness with which Gendo had responded to his inquiry and the way he had dismissed it, Fuyutsuki required a moment to recover before explaining, "Dr. Akagi has made an important discovery. According to her, there's a chance that we can reprogram the nanites infesting Captain Ibuki, rendering them harmless." Pausing just long enough for Gendo to say something to this if he were inclined, the Sub Commander took his resultant silence as a sign to continue. "If she can do this, we can stop the 11th Angel without killing Captain Ibuki as well. She and the rest of the bridge crew are working on that, but we need time -"

"Captain Ibuki is of no importance, Sub Commander," Gendo retorted with more heat than Fuyutsuki had heard in his voice in more years than he cared to remember. His use of the old professor's rank a rare and frightening thing in this case. "I will deal with her. Your job is to get the MAGI back online and to monitor the remnants of the 11th Angel. That is _all."_

Fuyutsuki's mouth opened in protest, but even as it did so, his tongue fell flat in his mouth in defeat. Gendo had made his decision; there would be no chance of talking the Commander out of it, no matter how hard the old professor tried. And after so many years of attempting and failing to sway his old student, Fuyutsuki lost the will to even attempt it. "Very well, sir," he answered. Pausing to glance at Ritsuko, he sighed as he saw the realization in her eyes. The knowledge that their Commander had condemned Maya without so much as a second thought. "There is, however...one other thing."

"And that would be...?" Gendo wondered, sounding as if he was asking from between clenched teeth.

"Major Katsuragi has escaped from her enclosure, and is attempting to intercept Captain Ibuki before she can escape," Fuyutsuki went on, his own voice sounding bland and uninteresting to him. As if they were discussing a boring story from the newspaper or something of that nature, not a life-or-death situation. "Also, the 3rd Child is here on base. Do you wish him taken into custody?"

A couple seconds passed, Fuyutsuki practically hearing the wheels in the Commander's mind turning as he processed that particular development. "The 3rd Child is not your concern, Sub Commander," Gendo replied in the same tense voice. "I will - arh - contact Chiron. He will handle this. Is that...understood?"

"Perfectly, sir. Fuyutsuki out," the old professor muttered distastefully as he lowered the phone, automatically folding it back up.

As the old professor turned to look at the others, Ritsuko looked him, her disheartened expression speaking her mind. "I take it the Commander's orders stand," she spoke in a flat voice, utterly devoid of hope. "Correct, sir?"

Pausing to consider Ritsuko, as well as the faces of the rest of the bridge crew, faces that were as disheartened as hers was, Fuyutuski looked from one caring person to another, each of them wanting nothing more than to help a friend who had been made a victim by forces beyond her control...and smiled knowingly at them. "The Commander's orders are for me to insure that the MAGI are made operational once again, and to monitor the condition of the 11th Angel," he told them in a level, militaristic voice. "Lieutenants Hyuga, Aoba, what is the status of the MAGI?"

"The MAGI?" Matoko wondered, glancing over at the other male bridge bunny before looking back at Fuyutsuki. "Well, it's like Dr. Akagi already said. They came through the EMP without any trouble."

"There's no sign that the Angel is trying to manipulate them in any way, sir," Shigeru chimed in, an edge of confusion to his voice.

"Indeed," Fuyutsuki replied in that same disinterested voice. "And what about the Angel? What's its status?"

Frowning uncomfortably, Chihiro hesitated before answering, "The majority of the nanite collective has become dormant, sir." Then she pointed up to the holographic display that marked the 11th Angel's progression throughout NERV. "As you can see, there's been no sign of activity from it since the EMP."

"Except, of course, for the portion currently inhabiting Captain Ibuki. Is that correct?" Chihiro gave a quick nod in response. "I trust you will inform me if that should change, won't you, Lieutenant?"

"Uh, yes, sir. Of course, sir," Chihiro promptly answered.

"Very well," Fuyutsuki muttered as he sat back in his seat. "In that case, it would seem that we have carried out the Commander's orders. Wouldn't you agree, Dr. Akagi."

Furrowing her brows somewhat, Ritsuko hesitantly answered, "Well...yes, sir."

"Then it seems that, barring any unexpected activity from the Angel, we have nothing especially urgent to do right now," Fuyutsuki decided with a bit more feeling. "So...until Ikari contacts us again, feel free to do whatever you want to."

"Sir?" Ritsuko gaped, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"You heard me, Dr. Akagi. You all can do...whatever it is you feel like doing," Fuyutsuki instructed them, feeling rather pleased with himself. "Read a book, take a nap...work on whatever little projects you wish?" Unable to keep the smile from his face, the old professor folded his arms behind his head. "As for myself...today's been a bit too exciting for an old man like me. I think now would be the perfect time for little nap."

Fuyutsuki closed his eyes just enough to look the part of an old man settling in for an afternoon doze. And thus left them open enough to see a miraculous smile spread across Ritsuko's face. "That sounds nice, sir. But...if we have free time, then there's a...certain project that I would like to get to work on." Turning back to look at the rest of the crew, she asked, "What about you?"

"Oh, yeah. Same here, Doc!" Shigeru replied as soon as he got the picture.

A moment later, Makoto got it as well, and grinned infectiously. "Right, right! We've got to get going on that...project of ours, don't we?"

As the rest of the bridge staff quickly chimed in with their agreement, Fuyutsuki shrugged nonchalantly. "Suit yourselves, everyone. And don't mind me; at my age, I think I could sleep through Third Impact." Ignoring the chuckles this elicited from the people before him, he added, "Just be sure to let me know if the Angel starts acting up again, Lieutenant Mifune. We don't want Ikari thinking that we're slacking off, now do we?"

"Understood, sir!" Chihiro replied, snapping off a salute as she and the others returned their efforts to salvaging the data from Maya's laptop.

Chuckling quietly to himself as the people around him returned to their efforts, working with all their might to save the life of a friend, Fuyutsuki slowly shook his head. _It would seem that the teacher has become the student,_ he thought with wicked amusement. _And I've learned from you the art of manipulating a situation to my advantage very well, Ikari. Very well indeed..._

* * *

Pain. Hateful, burning pain. That was Gendo's companion as he rode the elevator down to the depths of Terminal Dogma. Every breath he took made his ribs cry out in protest, and he could practically feel his body swelling up and blackening where Maya had smashed him with mace-like gauntlet. Even the wound inflicted on his right arm by the Rhino was hurting much more, like it had been reopened when he had been sent flying into the wall.

Gendo didn't care about any of that. He didn't care how much he had to struggle, how much sweat rolled down his head as he forced his body to obey his will. What he cared about was making sure that his will _was _obeyed. Both by his own body...and by others.

_Sensei..._ he gritted inwardly as he placed his cell phone back in his pocket. Disgusted by the way his hand trembled with even this tiny effort. _Even now...you don't understand. I will not allow anything...or anyone...to interfere with my plans._ Heaving a pained breath, grunting at the pain and effort something so simple took on him, Gendo looked upwards. _If I cannot control an element that could be a threat to my scenario, then I will destroy it. It is as simple as that._

Closing his eyes, Gendo shut out the rest of the world, shut it out to give him the time he needed to regain mastery of his body. To take the pain he was in and push it off to the side where it wouldn't interfere with him. And as he did so, he found himself flashing back to simpler, brighter times, times when he had been known as Gendo Rokubungi. When he, Yui, and Fuyutsuki had been in college, with their futures shining brightly before them.

_Sensei..._ Gendo thought as he pictured himself back in Fuyutsuki's college classroom. The old professor looking at him, as if preparing himself for one of the many debates and arguments that they had had back in those times. _Except...there's no time for that now._

"Isn't there?" the Fuyutsuki in his mind seemed to ask, smiling in a knowing fashion. "You're not going anywhere, Ikari. Until that elevator reaches Terminal Dogma." Narrowing his eyes keenly, he went on to say, "And that gives us lots of time, my old student. More than enough for another debate."

Snorting at this, Gendo thought back, _There's nothing to debate._

"Isn't there?" Fuyutsuki wondered, arching an eyebrow at him. "You're making a very rash decision. Having Ibuki terminated when there's still the chance of saving her? I thought I taught you better than that."

_Heh. You taught me fine, sensei,_ Gendo thought, smiling as he lost himself in this imaginary debate with the Fuyutsuki that had found his way into his mind. _But why would I want to save her? She's an Angel now. She's a threat, to us, and the scenario._

"Because of her transformation?" Fuyutsuki wondered rhetorically. "By that logic, you should have Major Katsuragi terminated. After all, her condition makes her just as much a threat as Ibuki, doesn't it?"

_She is a threat, but a threat I can use,_ Gendo immediately countered. _Her hatred of the Angels blinds her to my goals. And her mutant cell samples have already proven valuable._

"Are you saying that human tissue fused with Angelic nanites couldn't be similarly useful?" Fuyutsuki asked in a more pointed manner.

_Of course not. But NERV has been infused with nanites. We have all that we could ever need. All we would need do is extract them at our leisure,_ Gendo retorted. _We don't need Ibuki for that. She can be replaced._

"Ah, but at what cost?" Fuyutsuki asked coyly. "Putting yourself to the trouble of finding _another _Director of Operations, the damage to staff morale, not to mention finding additional subjects to experiment on with the nanites when you already have a perfectly suitable specimen." Shaking his head in slow dismay, the imaginary professor muttered, "I'm ashamed of you, Ikari. You're many things, but I never would have thought that wasteful was one of them."

_I realize that. But in order to fulfill the scenario, I have to live. I have to defeat the remainder of Adam's children,_ Gendo protested, grinning despite himself. _And if Ibuki stands in the way of that, then she will die._

"Such blunt thinking, Ikari," Fuyutsuki muttered in low disapproval. "Didn't you once tell me that you could turn _any _situation to your advantage? Are you in such a hurry to discard a tile as useless when it could be every bit as useful as the winds and dragons you've worked so hard to collect?"

This prompted a low, pained chuckle from Gendo. _Touché, sensei,_ he thought, as always impressed by Fayutsuki's skill at these debates. _Alright, then...perhaps I will allow her to live. But only if her continued survival doesn't compromise the scenario._

Nodding his approval, Fuyutsuki answered, "I can accept that, Ikari." A moment later, the elevator doors dinged, causing Gendo to open his eyes, to leave the imagined classroom and the professor within it behind.

With a heavy grunt, Gendo started forward into Terminal Dogma, almost sorry that he had to leave the little world within his mind behind. His debates with Fuyutsuki had always proven so informative, and even now helped him refine and improve his plans more than anything else. And it had been a long time since he had had such an intense debate with his mentor that he actually found himself missing them.

But all the same, there was no time for that now. The situation above continued to unfold without his hand to steer it in the proper direction, and that could not be allowed to continue. So Gendo pushed himself onward, moving as quickly as his injured body could, passing by the familiar sights of the underground portion of NERV, the dumping ground for the failed Evas, their skeletons a grim reminder of the many attempts to forge the quintessential elements to the scenario. The labs and quarters where Rei had lived before he had decided to have her moved into Tokyo-3 itself, and the cloning lab where her replacements swam mindlessly about. He passed them by, ignoring them and remembering all at the same time. Remembering everything he had done to reach this point, memories that kept him moving. Made him refuse to be stopped by something as minimal as these injuries as he reached the room that was his goal.

The door parting for him of its own accord, Gendo entered one of the many labs in Terminal Dogma. But unlike the majority of them, which had fallen into disuse, this one had been updated and upgraded with new equipment. DNA sequencers, computer mainframes independent of the MAGI, biological processors, and much more filled one end of the lab. But the Commander wasn't interested in them, or any of the other primary apparatuses that were to be found there. His focus was on the small, efficient office that he had had set up in there when it was first refurbished for his purposes...and the girl sitting at one of the desks there.

"Commander," the girl spoke in a familiar monotone as he approached.

Gendo couldn't help but be pleased by her reaction. She gave no mention of his obvious injuries, showed no visible reaction to his condition. She simply sat where she was, waiting for him to give her orders. "You've been monitoring the situation above," he asked in a way that made it clear that he wasn't asking a question. When she nodded, "What is Ibuki's position?"

"Captain Ibuki is on Level 3, proceeding to the exit," the girl answered, still using the same monotone voice. Pressing a button at her desk, she brought up several holographic displays, a smaller version of the displays up on the bridge, showing the complete tactical situation, including Ibuki's location.

Nodding as he studied the map and blips on it, Gendo tried to turn the chaos that had enveloped NERV into a logical pattern. In one display, he could see Shinji standing near a com-panel, fidgeting nervously as if he were waiting for something. In another, he could see Major Katsuragi exiting an elevator, clutching at her side as if injured. And in another still, Chiron and his people were seen on Level 3, making their way towards where Ibuki was staggering forward, trying to escape.

"What is Major Katsuragi doing?" Gendo wondered, glancing between her and the anxious 3rd Child. "Have either she or the 3rd Child been in contact with the bridge?"

"Yes. Both have made contact with the bridge," the girl reported. As quickly and efficiently as possible, she reported the communications between them and the bridge. "Major Katsuragi is planning on intercepting Captain Ibuki as She-Hulk. It is her opinion that she will be able to delay Ibuki long enough for Dr. Akagi to bring the nanites inside of her under control."

Pressing his lips together into an uneasy frown, Gendo glanced at the display that showed the bridge and the people busily working away up there. _So, sensei, it's not just in my mind that you attempt to defy me,_ he thought, surprised and mildly disappointed by this act of rebellion. _I guess you need another reminder as to who is the master now._

Pleased that he had had the foresight to keep certain aspects of this lab a secret, including the systems that allowed him to monitor the entirety of NERV from there, Gendo brought forth his cell phone again and hit the speed dial. A moment later, and Chiron was bringing out his own cell phone and saying, "Chiron here."

"Captain Chiron, this Commander Ikari speaking," Gendo intoned, keeping his voice even as possible, lest he betray his injuries. Render himself weaker in the eyes of others. "Status report."

"Yes, sir. Per your orders, I've mobilized a team to terminate Ibuki," Chiron reported easily. "We are currently making our way up to Level 3, so we should be able to intercept her shortly after she exits NERV."

Making sure not to give any hints that he could see all of this for himself, Gendo responded, "Very well. Keep me posted and alert me the instant you overtake Ibuki." Chiron visibly nodded in the holographic display, at which the Commander, "However, you are not to engage her without my authorization. Is that clear, Captain?"

For an instant it appeared that Chiron might actually consider protesting this order. But only for an instant, though he still looked irritated when he responded in a crisp, professional voice, "Perfectly, sir."

"Excellent. Proceed as ordered," Gendo instructed him, not giving him the chance to respond before he closed his phone up. To Chiron's credit, he didn't react to his orders with muttered curses or anything that people tended to do or say when they thought that their boss couldn't see or hear them. It was a sign of loyalty, a sign that Chiron knew his place in the scheme of things, and perhaps most importantly, he knew enough not to risk Gendo's wrath falling upon his head.

Fear and respect. They were everything in this sinful world. A hard lesson that Gendo had learned a long time ago, and he had learned it well.

Still, these things didn't necessarily mean that Chiron would succeed. Especially given Section 2's poor track record against the superhuman beings that had risen up in Tokyo-3 as of late. And with this thought in mind, Gendo focused his attention on the girl before him. "Are the MAGI operational?" The girl quickly nodded to this. "Tactical analysis of Ibuki's present capabilities."

Instead of explaining it to him, the girl worked the controls of her table, bringing up another holographic display, the tactical display Gendo had requested. As quickly as he could, read the facts and figures that resulted of the MAGI's analysis of this latest potential thorn in the Commander's side. _Hmm...her cellular structure has amalgamated component elements of the metal used in NERV's construction, and now has a consistency almost identical to it. And she's also capable of using her gauntlet to absorb electrical energy, to sustain the nanite collective inside of her. _Frowning in thought, Gendo considered this for a time. _So, it would seem that total adaptability is still this Angel's greatest weapon._ Then he narrowed his eyes and added, _And possibly still it's greatest weakness._

With this thought in mind, Gendo continued to study the analysis. Substantially increased strength and durability, owing in part to Ibuki's current organic metallic cell structure, as well as the ability to absorb energy and potentially take on the properties of anything her nanites could absorb. These abilities certainly impressive, and potentially worthy of further study in a controlled environment. _But not at the expense of the scenario,_ Gendo reminded himself. Then he frowned as another possibility occurred to him. _However, if she also has an Angel's _other _abilities...such as the AT-Field..._

Again, Gendo studied the tactical data before him. At the moment, there was nothing to indicate that Ibuki could generate an AT-Field of her own, but at the same time, nothing to show that she couldn't. _And she may not need to,_ he reminded himself. _The Major's She-Hulk form has no AT-Field, and yet has proven to be impervious to even an N2 explosive. So I can't afford to rely on Chiron alone for this._

It was then that Gendo allowed himself a slight smile. For he didn't _have _to depend on Chiron. Not when there greater resources at his command.

With that in mind, he looked squarely at the girl before him and asked, "What's the status of the Genesis Chamber?" Turning about, Gendo looked squarely at a door leading out of the lab proper. "How many functional subjects do we have available?"

"Of the twelve subjects in the maturation chambers, seven of them have reached adolescence. DNA analysis shows them to be genetically stable, and bio-readings all show them to be in perfect condition," the girl reported, saying more in that sentence then she would normally say in a day. "Of these, five have completed the final stages of their subliminal programming."

Pausing to consider this, Gendo then instructed, "Awaken those five, and then prepare for combat."

Nodding to this, the girl rose from her seat and started towards the door. As he did so, Gendo staggered towards his desk, and with a muted sigh of relief, allowed him to sink into his seat. "Do you require assistance, Commander?" Starting at this, Gendo looked up at the girl, and saw a muted gleam of concern in her eyes. "You appear to be injured, and -"

"It is nothing," Gendo cut her off, annoyed that he was allowing his injuries to be so visible. That he was showing weakness to anyone. "Just do as I tell you."

The girl didn't inquire any further. She simply nodded and entered the door and began carrying out his orders. Leaving Gendo to work the controls at his desk, his command table. Ignoring the growing pain in his right arm as he studied the many moving pieces on the chessboard that was NERV Headquarters. _I will not lose control, _he told himself, taking this thought and ramming it into the pain that was attempting to overwhelm his mind. _I will fight this, and I will remain in control._

* * *

_I can't fight this! I mustn't!_ Misato told herself time and time again as she staggered through the hallways of NERV, her teeth gritted in pain. _I have to let it happen! I have to let _her _out...or Maya's finished!_

And yet, as much as Misato told herself this, not fighting what was happening to her was proving to be one of the hardest things she had ever done in her entire life.

When she had shot herself in order to trigger She-Hulk's emergence, it had been a spur of the moment act of desperation, the only thing Misato could think of doing to offset the tranquilizer in her system. And it had worked, but only up to a point. She was transforming, but slowly. Very, very slowly. Her muscles were somewhat larger and more toned than normal, and the blood that spilled from the gunshot wound in her side was green, not red. Her veins were glowing with power, and she could sense the beast within struggling to the surface.

But at the same time, the beast's thoughts were addled and confused, and Misato could feel her own thoughts being jumbled. And while the adrenaline in her system was fighting the sedative, it wasn't an easy battle. All she would have to do was fight back against the beast, and she could send it tumbling back into the darkness. Remain a human being, remain in control.

_But I can't! _Misato reminded herself once again. _I can't do anything for Maya, not like this! She-Hulk is the only one who can stop her!_ Grunting as she continued forward, supporting herself with her free hand, the Major pictured what would happen if she were to fight back against the beast within; between the tranquilizers and blood loss, she'd be out like a light in no time flat. Leaving Chiron and his band of idiots to do whatever they pleased. Allowing them to kill Maya. _C'mon, Greenie! What the hell is taking so long? Hurry up and take me over already!_

The beast responded to this invitation sluggishly. The simple-minded creature was a thing of sharp, quick rage, and reacted to it in kind, like a child throwing a tantrum. But the initial rage that had started the transformation had long since faded, leaving the creature disoriented, without anything to actively incite its wrath. To encourage her to come forward and deal with what was happening.

_Dammit! Chiron's going to kill Maya! Doesn't that make you mad?_ Misato shouted herself, conjuring images of the male chauvinist prick and flinging them down into the abyss the beast was trying to free herself from. _What, are you just going to sit back and watch that bastard get away with it?_ Grunting with frustration, the purple-haired woman snorted as loudly as she had the strength for. _If he could see us right now, he'd be laughing his ass off right now! In fact, I can practically hear him laughing right now!_

This sparked a bit more interest in the creature, a bit more green in Misato's blood. But only a bit.

_Dammit...dammit, c'mon! _Misato egged her other self on. _Change, already! Change!_

"Misato!" came Ritsuko's voice from seemingly out of nowhere. Jumping at this, the purple-haired woman looked wildly about, momentarily unable to tell where it come from. "Misato, listen! Maya's reached the main entrance! She's almost out of NERV!"

Her eyes going wide at the is, Misato gritted her teeth before asking, "Wh...what about...that porker, Chiron? Where...?"

"He and his people have reached Level 3! They're closing in on her!" Ritsuko promptly reported.

This report send a fresh wave of anger and frustration shooting through Misato's veins. Knocked off balance by it, she fell against the wall, her wound meeting unyielding metal and screaming in further pain as a result. Lost in the sudden haze, Misato slammed her fist into the wall, sparking even more pain, more anger, more adrenaline. Things that her mutation slowly responded to, the bones of her spine crunching and expanding, the muscles of her back swelling up somewhat beneath her medical gown.

Instinctively panicking as her savage alter-ego gained greater ground, Misato fought back for moment, fought to push her back down. _No, stupid! Don't do that! This is what you _want,_ remember?_ she screeched at herself, smacking herself in the forehead with her free hand. _C'mon, Greenie! That's it! Keep on coming! Take this body and do your thing with it!_

Panting heavily, Misato hovered there for a time, feeling the changes picking up somewhat. A bone cracking apart and rebuilding itself, a muscle slowly swelling with new power. Nodding shakily to this changes, at the beast that was still climbing her way to the surface, the Major growled, "Rits...how much further...until the next elevator?"

"You're almost there!" Ritsuko urgently informed her. "It's around the next turn, on your right!"

Forcing herself to look up, her vision swimming for a moment, Misato spotted the hall that branched off from the one she was in. "It's about time..." she muttered wearily. "I could have just...ridden the elevator I was in...all the way to Level 3...but no...!" Heaving breath after heavy breath, Misato rolled her eyes as she forced herself to start forward again. "Stupid architects...think they're so clever...when they can't even design elevators...that reach each floor." Her annoyance causing one of her thigh muscles to bulge unexpectedly, Misato was almost sent crashing to the floor before she caught herself. Panting wearily as the change continued, the Major asked, "Alright...what about Shinji?"

"Shinji's on Level 1. But we warned him away from where Chiron and his thugs are heading, so he won't be spotted," Ritsuko tersely reported. "Do you want us to have him meet you at the elevator?"

"The elevator..." Misato replied, trying to focus on her friend's voice. To ignore the way her body was being taking over. To keep from fighting it. "Yeah...have him...go to the elevator." Then she rasped out a low, broken chuckle before adding, "But...it won't be me...that he'll be meeting there...Rits. Okay?"

A beat passed in which Misato could almost see her college friend nodding her understanding. "I'll let him know."

"You do that, Rits..." Misato gasped, the muscles on one side of her neck bulging, forcing her to look off to the side. "Arrgh...ugh...! Aw...!" Clenching her jaws shut, the Major rode out the sudden spurt of growth, her neck muscles slowly evening out again. "So..." she tried again, determined to stay focused on her friend's voice. "Have you got any...bright ideas on how to...cure Maya?"

"Let's just that we're onto something that looks like a winner," Ritsuko replied instantly.

"No...let's _not _just say that," Misato pleaded as she finally rounded the bend. Her heart pounding a bit more as she finally caught sight of her current objective. "C'mon, Rits...tell me! You know...you're _always_ looking for chances to...show off that big brain...of yours!"

A sound of hesitation was heard over the PA before Ritsuko finally answered, "Well, we think the nanites in Maya are have absorbed an incomplete version of a program we developed to force the Angel to work as one with its host. So we're working on a way to complete the program inside of her. Now, if that works, the nanites will be forced to work as one with Maya, allowing her to control them, instead of the other way around."

Snorting loudly, Misato shook her head as she made her way up to the elevator doors. "That's...an awful lot of 'ifs' and 'thinks', Ritsuko Akagi," she sniped as she hit the 'up' button. "What, haven't you...figured anything out for certain?"

"Unfortunately, no," Ritsuko admitted as Misato leaned against the wall, listening for the telltale dings that signaled the elevator's approach. "In fact, we aren't even sure how to load the modified program into Maya."

"Oh, c'mon! There's...got to be a way!" Misato protested, gasping sharply as her armed jerked about, her bicep bulging and forcing her arm to bend of its own accord. "Wait...didn't you say...she took that...thing you used to...fry the Angel?

"You mean the EMP generator?" Ritsuko answered as the elevator dinged one more time before the doors slid open. As Misato made her way into the elevator, the doctor added, "That's right. She grabbed it, shoved her arm into it, and then - she took off."

Nodding shakily as she slid against the wall, painfully aware of the bloody smear she was making in the process of getting over to the little buttons next to the door. Misato asked, "Any idea...why she took it?"

"We think she's using it as a life support," Ritsuko responded as Misato carefully lined her finger up with the appropriate button. "The nanites' S2 organs must've been disrupted by the EMP, and now need an alternate energy source to sustain them. Also, Shinji reported seeing Maya using the generator to absorb electrical energy. So she needs it in order to feed on any given power source."

"So...she needs the generator, huh?" Misato asked as she finally succeeded in pressing the appropriate button. "Any idea what would...happen if...Greenie yanked it off?"

"Don't even think that, Misato! It's too dangerous!" Ritsuko told her, her voice rising with urgency. "If the nanites have fully integrated with Maya's cellular structure, then the reason she was getting weaker was because the nanites were literally starving to death! Those nanites need the energy the generator provides in order to survive, which means that _Maya_ does, too!"

Nodding to this, Misato allowed herself to fall back to the floor, the changes coming more quickly, more easily. "So...the generator...it's linked to Maya...and the nanites?" she rasped out, keeping her mind focused. Distracted from the creature that was rising up in her. "They're all linked and - and everything?"

"That's right. We even saw the nanites reconfiguring the generator, adapting its physical structure to their purposes," Ritsuko reported in a somewhat calmer voice.

"Then...why not - use the generator?" Misato wondered, a feral grin spreading across her face. "Hook a computer up that...and load the program into her through it?"

"Wha - Misato, are you crazy?" Ritsuko demanded impatiently. "How are we supposed to hook a _computer_ up to the generator?"

Snorting a laugh, Misato retorted, "Aw, hell, Rits! Do I have to...figure out _everything_...for you? I thought _you _were supposed to be the one with the br-arrruugghh!"

"Misato!" Ritsuko cried out as the Major's vocal chords crunched and expanded, practically swelling out of her throat as their growth forced her head back. "Misato, are you alright!"

Breathing haggardly as more bones reconstructed themselves and muscles grew, Misato looked up at the control panel for the elevator, and the speaker inside of it. "Almost...outta time...Rits!" she reported, looking at the device almost as if she could see her friend through it. "Greenie's...almost here! I can...feel her, comin', and -!"

Then Misato broke off, her eyes and mouth popping open. "And?" Ritsuko asked after a few seconds of silence. "Misato, what is it?"

Misato didn't hear her friend. Nor could she hear the growls of the eager creature that was reshaping her body in its image. Her conscious mind was completely overwhelmed by sudden inspiration, conjured up by her jumbled thoughts and confused brain. "Ritsuko! That - that's _it!"_

"What? _What's _it?" Ritsuko demanded sharply. "Misato, what are you -!"

"Can you - record me, Rits?" Misato feverishly demanded, her heart pounding with excitement.

"Wh-why, yeah, sure!" Ritsuko sputtered out. "But why -?"

"No time - to explain! Just - do it!" Misato ordered, hoping against hope that her friend would respond to her demands. For she didn't have time to explain to Ritsuko that they had just been handed the opportunity of a lifetime, and all because of Chiron's interference.

Each time she had transformed in the past, Misato had been too overwhelmed to make sense of what was happening before she lost consciousness. Even when she had been changed for the various tests they had run before or when she had been gearing up for her confrontation with the 10th Angel, she had been overwhelmed either by pain or anger or the pressure being exerted on her human mind by her savage other self. But this time, the transformation was happening slowly, giving her a chance to take stock of everything that happened as she changed. This time, the beast within wasn't rushing to the surface, it was slowly climbing, giving Misato ample time to analyze what was happening, the thoughts and feelings running through her mind.

_I might not ever get another chance like this!_ Misato realized as she lay back, trying to distance herself from what was happening to her body. To observe and remember everything that happened. _If I can just hold on, stay awake through the change, I might be able to figure out why I keep blacking out! Why I keep losing control to her!_

Heaving several excited breaths, Misato was jolted by a sudden burst of growth. Her back arching, she cried out as her abdomen throbbed and hardened, a steely six-pack emerging. "Ritsuko...keep t-talking to me!" she gasped. "Have to - stay focused - for as long as - possible!"

"Uh...o-okay, Misato!" Ritsuko replied hesitantly. "Um...Shigeru! Contact Shinji and tell him where to meet Misato!"

"You got it, Doc!" NERV's resident guitarist answered a moment later, his voice barely audible over the cracking of bones and snapping of cartilage that was filling Misato's ears.

"Alright, then," Ritsuko answered nervously. "Misato, Shinji's on his way. And...I'm making a note in the communications time logs! Everything that happens is being recorded to the lab computers and the MAGI!"

"Great! Th-thanks, Rits, I - _aaahhh!"_ Misato cried, her heart jumping into her throat as the transformation continued to progress. Her entire body convulsed like someone had shoved an electrical cable in her mouth before she finally settled down.

"Misato! Misato, _what happened?"_ Ritsuko cried out as the purple-haired woman lay there, her conscious mind barely holding on after that jolt.

Misato couldn't answer. All she could do was lie there, heaving breath after ragged breath as her heart continued to pound away, sending what felt like molten magma pumping through her veins. Pure, unstoppable power flowed through her, tempting and tantalizing and terrifying her all at once as it coursed through body, remaking it into something more suitable to host such monstrous energies. "Aw, damn...!" she gasped as she felt her body shifting about. Her arm flexing of its own accord, Misato turned and gazed in amazement as a mammoth bicep exploded before her, her veins pouring more and more power into her swelling, eager muscles. "Rits...this is..._incredible!"_

"Misato?" Ritsuko demanded. "What is it?"

"Feels..._whoooaa!"_ Misato cried out as she witnessed her bizarre metamorphosis with her own eyes for the very first time. Swinging her eyes this way and that, trying to take in everything that was happening, her gaze was drawn by a large crunching sound. Forcing her head up, her eyes bulged as her legs bent at the knees, layers of solid muscle bulging beneath her skin, rippling through her. "It feels...so _damn good!"_

_"What?"_ Ritsuko yelped in disbelief.

A giddy laugh slipping free of her lips, Misato continued to watch her body shift and change. Her feet slid across the floor as she continued to grow, finally running into the door. But she barely noticed it. She could barely notice anything as the change continued to hasten. The pain from the gunshot wound was gone, as was likely the wound itself, and as her body continued to jerk about, her every muscle seeming to dance on its own, Misato noticed something else dancing beneath her medical gown. _What the -?_ she wondered, her mind becoming more and more addled. _What are...?_

"Misato, talk to me!" Ritsuko cried out, breaking through the waves of power and pleasure that were cascading across the Major's mind. "Are you still with me?"

Her friend's voice breaking through, snapping Misato out of the pleasurable daze that was fogging her thoughts. "R-Rits!" she gasped out, again focusing on the control panel. "Aw, damn...keep talking! I - I -!"

"Of course! Just stay with me!" Ritsuko told her, urging her own. "Hold on for as long as you can, okay?"

"I-I'm trying, but...g-getting hard to th-think!" Misato reported as she stared stupidly at the front of her medical gown, where two huge mounts were rising up beneath the blue fabric. "Feels...feels so good...like I'm drunk...and...and...aw, _damn!"_

"What? What now?" Ritsuko demanded, caught between irritation and fear.

"Omigod! Would you l-look at these things?" Misato giggled uproariously as she realized what exactly was filling up the front of her shirt. "B-beach balls...for twin p-peaks!"

"Beach balls? What are you - oh," Ritsuko returned, going from cry of dismay to groan of annoyance in less than a second.

Ignoring her friend's grumbling, Misato just grinned as she watched the Best Assets at NERV truly live up to that title. _That's it! Keep on growing!_ she thought giddily as they filled out the fragile gown, the fabric creaking as it tried to keep them constrained. _C'mon! That's it!_

"Look, Misato, whatever's going on in your head, please, just keep it together!" Ritsuko told her in a fearful manner. "Dammit, we're out of time here! Chiron and his troops have reached the main entrance! Do you hear me, Misato?"

Misato could hear her, but it was getting harder and harder to care. She was adrift in an ocean of overwhelming pleasure and incredible power, an ocean that was battering away at her conscious mind. It was all she could do to stay afloat, stay aware in the maelstrom of emotions and primal energy that inundated her. At every second that passed made it that much harder, her body changing more and more. On some level, she was aware that her hair was getting longer, locks of it falling before her eyes, and that her skin was getting darker, going from a pale yellow to a light green before finally shifting to the dark green of her bestial self.

The beast. The savage creature that resided deep within her subconscious. Misato could sense it drawing closer, rising up through the ocean of emotion and power, completely unhindered by it. The forces that overwhelmed Misato's conscious mind were the very things that She-Hulk thrived on, the things that spurred her instinctive thoughts onward, unhindered by fears or concerns. And it were these things that were propelling her closer, and closer...

"Misato, I don't know if you can still hear me, but Shinji's standing by and waiting!" Ritsuko reported, the doctor's voice painfully distant now. "He'll guide you or She-Hulk or whoever's driving that body to the entrance, and then -!"

Shinji. A simple, single word. No, more than a word. A name. A name that struck a chord in both Misato's conscious and savage selves. Both of them pausing at the same time, processing the image of the small boy that they cared so much for, and both reacting in different ways. The angrier, instinctive persona, on the verge of sending Misato's conscious self down into the darkness so that she could take control, hesitated. Wondered why someone was speaking Shinji's name, suffering a jab of concern at the possibility that the boy was somehow imperiled.

For Misato herself, however, that name was like a lifeline. It gave her something to focus on, to hold tight and remain afloat. The power, the emotion, the ecstasy, they were all still there, but now there was something else. The smiling face of a boy that she had come to depend on, who had cared for her and encouraged her. Who had entrusted himself to her, despite everything she had done to him in return.

_Shinji...Shinji needs me!_ Misato thought feverishly, looking up at the elevator display. Her eyes responding to her will, not someone else's. Seeing the numbers there, numbers the creature didn't understand and didn't care about, she realized that she was within a few floors of Level 1. Very close to where Maya was. Where Chiron was. And where Shinji was.

Realizing that she had to get up, to be ready to move, Misato instinctively reached out and grabbed hold of the elevator wall. Gasping as she felt the metal plating buckling in her grip like it was nothing more than tinfoil. Still afloat amidst the ocean of power and pleasure and emotion, she looked over to her side and saw a large, green arm and hand. _Her _arm and hand, holding onto the side of the elevator. Transformed with Angelic and gamma power, but still _her _arm and hand, heeding her command as she used this handhold to help her rise up to her feet. Her body tensing, readying itself for battle.

* * *

As much as Chiron knew how little it took to send a mission south without any warning, he couldn't help but be pleased with his current situation.

So far, everything had gone like clockwork, the way a precision operation was supposed to. He and his troops had made their way up to Level 3 without incident. They hadn't encountered either the missing 3rd Child, Katsuragi, or her brutish other self, which were all good things. Though Chiron had a low opinion of women who didn't know their place in general and Misato in particular, even he was forced to admit that he was not looking forward to another battle with She-Hulk.

As a result, he and his men had quickly reached the main entrance, and even better, they had almost immediately sighted the mutated creature that Ibuki had become. The metal-skinned woman was wandering a short distance away from NERV, apparently confused as she looked this way and that. Not even noticing Chiron and his men as they took up station around the entrance.

_So, that's the freak Ibuki is now,_ Chiron thought as he surveyed his target. Though nowhere near as heavily muscled as Katsuragi's bestial other, she was still infused with Angelic nanites. And after the disastrous engagement that was still remembered by all as the Day of Destruction, the Section 2 head wasn't willing to underestimate a mutated aberration like these, even if it happened to be a woman.

There would be no mistakes. No tempting fate. Chiron was determined that this operation would go down by the book from start to finish. And that meant heeding Commander Ikari's orders to the letter. "Everybody, get into position, and be ready to fire on my command," the Section 2 Captain ordered even as he took position near the wall. As his men nodded the understanding, all of them quick to heed his words, Chiron drew forth his cell phone and hit the speed dial.

Narrowing his eyes at his target, who was still wandering away from NERV, Chiron soon heard the Commander's voice ring in his ear. "Ikari, here."

"This is Captain Chiron, sir," the Section 2 head reported tersely. "We've sighted Ibuki and are ready to engage, sir."

"What is Ibuki's status?" Gendo asked in a terse manner, his voice strained just enough to be noticeable.

Frowning but knowing better than to mention it, Chiron looked out at his target. "She appears to be heading towards one of the tram stations, sir." Pausing to study Ibuki's movements, he added, "But it doesn't look like she'll be getting there any time soon. She's wobbling about like a drunk about to pass out, sir."

"I see," was Gendo's response. And then there was silence.

Chiron wanted to say that now was a perfect time to attack. There were no civilians anywhere nearby, no valuable equipment at risk. Nothing between them and Ibuki. And of more importance, their target appeared to be sick, weak. Vulnerable. Not at all like the situation they had encountered in dealing with She-Hulk. So unless Ibuki was feigning or exaggerating her condition, there was no reason why they wouldn't be able to deal with her right then and there.

But Chiron didn't say that. For unlike Fuyutsuki, Gendo's voice was the voice of authority at NERV. Furthermore, he was not a man who believed in forgiveness or coddling the people under his command. Failure and disobedience were things that Gendo didn't tolerate in the slightest, something he had made clear on more than one occasion, with punishments that made even a hardened soldier like Chiron cringe just thinking of them.

So he waited. And wondered what was going through Commander Ikari's mind as Ibuki continued to slowly wander away.

* * *

Chess was a game of strategy, a game in which the chess master's skill was put to the ultimate test in terms of his ability to effectively utilize the pieces on the board, as well as anticipate the movements of his opponent's pieces. And the true mastery of this art came when a chess master couldn't move his pieces directly. He had to anticipate their actions, and manipulate the situation accordingly in order to achieve the desired result.

That was the situation unfolding both in and outside of NERV. Chiron and his forces were pieces under Gendo's direct control, and they were in the perfect position to be of use to him. The enemy piece that remained in play came in the form of Captain Ibuki, and according the images relayed to him by the external security cameras, she was in no hurry to engage his pieces in battle. And while he couldn't afford to let her escape the Geofront, it did give him more room to plan out his next move.

In the next room over, more pieces under Gendo's direct sway were preparing to join the situation. But at the same time, given the current circumstances, he was hoping that he wouldn't be forced to deploy them. There were too many rogue elements appearing on the board, too many possible witnesses. And too many things that could go wrong if he was forced to unveil the pieces that amounted to his queen in play at this stage in the game.

Fortunately, there were other pieces in motion, pieces that weren't under his direct control, but that could still prove useful. Pieces such as those on the bridge, with Gendo's old teacher and current lover the most active amongst them. And as he watched them and the others there work, NERV's Commander found himself somewhat conflicted. _Defying my orders, all for the sake of one person,_ he thought, his brows furrowed at this concept. Either the people on the bridge were more foolish than he thought, or he had not yet made it entirely clear that he would brook no disobedience, no matter the circumstances. That he was the master. _I'll have to do something about that._

But even as he was making a mental note that a demonstration of authority was in order, Gendo had to admit that their current project did in fact look promising. _If things play out, Ibuki's life may well be of value after all,_ he thought as he watched Ritsuko come over to where the other bridge technicians were, telling them of what needed to be done.

And then there was another set of pieces in play, pieces that he had not expected to appear in this particular game. The first of which was Unit 01's pilot, who was standing next to the elevator that was relatively close to the main entrance, waiting for the second piece to arrive in the form of an eight-foot-tall green Amazon. _And one of the few beings capable of reining in Ibuki, should things take a turn for the worse,_ Gendo knew before glancing at the next room over. _And it would certainly be a much more preferable situation, compared to the alternative._

The question, of course, was how exactly to make sure that happened, especially in light of She-Hulk's unpredictability. And the answer began with the cell phone that was currently in Gendo's hand, and the voice on the other end reporting, "She appears to be heading towards one of the tram stations, sir. But it doesn't look like she'll be getting there any time soon. She's wobbling about like a drunk about to pass out, sir."

"I see," Gendo responded almost absently as he turned his attention to the two most potentially devastating pieces in play. The savage she-beast that was currently disembarking the elevator, and the frail boy who was one of the few, if only, people capable of commanding her. "Very well. Chiron, have your men open fire."

"Yes, sir!" Chiron replied, a bit too eagerly, but that was to be expected.

_Now, to see just how worthy a specimen Ibuki has become, sensei,_ Gendo thought, recalling the illusory debate he had had with unexpected amusement. _And whether or not she is worth sparing._

* * *

_Well...I guess this is the right elevator, _Shinji thought as he stood watching the indicator that showed the elevator car itself rising up to his floor. Feeling his heart pounding away as he waited for its arrival,

In the time since Shinji had first come to Tokyo-3, he had seen more than his share of dangerous situations and impossible battles. As the 3rd Child of NERV, he had faced death more times than he could count, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had actually gotten more-or-less used to that. What he wasn't used to was wandering into a situation where death and danger seemed to appear out of nowhere, leaving him helpless to do anything but to try and survive the experience. And what he was quickly growing to hate was being effectively useless on the battlefield, unable to do anything or help anyone, not even himself.

_First Jet Alone, then that battle with She-Hulk, then the messed with the 10th Angel and Rhino...and now this,_ Shinji thought somberly as he watched the indicator draw closer. _Is...is this what it was like for Misato, before she...?_

His train of thought collapsing on his, Shinji sighed lowly as he let his gaze fall to the floor. _I hate this..._ he thought bitterly, scuffing his shoe on the floor as he waited. _Why...if I only _I _had powers like Misato or - or Horaki-chan, then...maybe I could...do something, I..._

Once again, Shinji's thoughts deteriorated. There was no point in thinking about what could be, especially in a mess like this. Ritsuko and the others on the bridge had given him a hurried explanation as to what was happening, so he knew what had to be done. He knew that Maya's life, her entire future hung in the balance, and that the doctor and the people were presently working frantically on a way to save it. And that there was only one person that could buy them the time they so desperately needed.

_And that's another thing,_ Shinji frowned unhappily. Thinking of the emerald Amazon that they were all counting on.

He wasn't overly concerned about Misato in this case. After seeing her brutish other survive the best efforts of Spirit, the explosive force of an Angel, an N2, and a fall from thousands of feet up, and come through a battle with the Rhino completely unharmed, he was basically certain that there was nothing that Maya could do to hurt her. However, Shinji wished he could be so certain that it worked both ways.

_Maya looked so sick before,_ Shinji thought worriedly as he recalled her staggering about the interior of NERV. _And...well, she might be a little stronger, but...she didn't look _that _strong, and..._ With that, he found himself flashing back to the disastrous battle between She-Hulk and Spirit. His mind replacing the image of the winged girl with the frail, human form of Maya. An image that shook Shinji with horror. _No! There's no way! Misato wouldn't do that! She's never hurt Maya! Never!_

As the boy tried to ram this certainty into his mind, Shinji's subconscious quickly went to work, trying to undermine his forced confidence with fear and concern. Things that found fertile ground in what he knew to be established fact. After all, She-Hulk's thought processes were simplistic at best, a far cry from the keen mind Misato normally possessed. The jade giantess dealt with her problems brutally, and even if she didn't intend to hurt their transformed friend, there was always the chance of her doing so by accident. Assuming she could even recognize the creature that Maya had become as a friend.

_But that's why _I'm _here!_ Shinji hissed inwardly, doing his best to stave off his inner demons. _All you have to do is tell Misato - She-Hulk - that she has to stop Maya without hurting her! _

Even as his self-doubts and fears gnawed away at him relentlessly, Shinji realized to his considerable relief that the elevator had finally arrived on his floor. Grateful that he wouldn't have to wait any longer, that he would soon be too busy with the situation at hand to give the nagging voice of doom in his head a chance to reassert itself. And so, pausing to make certain that he was a safe distance away from the doors, he looked up and watched as the elevator slid open, revealing almost half a ton of gamma-powered muscle garbed in a badly torn medical gown.

_Well, at least she's not naked this time, _Shinji thought, for while he knew that She-Hulk certainly didn't mind being seen in the buff, he really didn't need a case of raging hormones on top of everything else at the moment. "Misato, thank goodness you're here!" he spoke aloud as he approached her, trying to focus on the task at hand. "Listen, I need your help, and -!" His eyes going wide, he cut himself off when he noticed a large, round hole in the medical gown. And an even larger dark stain in the fabric, on that he instantly recognized. _"Omigod! Are - are you -?"_

Seemingly startled by this outburst, She-Hulk furrowed her brows before following Shinji's eyes to the damaged area. After surveying the massive stain of her own blood, the green beast-woman looked up at the boy, a tiny smile playing about her lips. "She-Hulk - I - okay...Shinji-kun," she rumbled hesitantly as he came up to her, trying to see how bad the wound was. "I...better, now."

His panic-stricken mind unable to take her word for it, Shinji quickly examined the large opening in her gown, trying to see the bloody hole that he knew had to be there. _Somebody shot her! When she was still transforming! That has to be it!_ the boy told himself as he peered about, only to see nothing but perfect, unblemished green flesh. _But, where is it? Where -?_

"Shinji! Is...okay, now," She-Hulk told him in a gentle manner that one would have thought impossible with a voice as deep and powerful as hers. Feeling her place a tender hand on his shoulder, Shinji looked up to see his Misato's kindly visage looking out from the green gammazon's emerald irises. "Wound...healed. Is...better, now." Blinking perplexedly, Shinji just stood there, only to start when the sound of fabric tearing made him jump a short distance. Looking about, he watched as She-Hulk slowly tore the hole open even wider, giving him a better view of the skin beneath. Skin that was blotched with blood, but was perfectly intact with no sign of injury.

After a moment, realization hit and Shinji very nearly smacked himself in the face for being such an idiot. "Uh, I - I'm sorry, Misato!" he babbled out, unable to understand how he could have forgotten her ability to instantaneously recover from injury. "I just -!"

Nodding to this, She-Hulk answered, "I...understand, Shinji-kun. You...worried."

Gulping loudly as his heart continued to pound away, Shinji then gave a fierce shake of his head to bring himself back to the moment. "Uh, look, Misato! We don't have any time! Maya, she's been infected by the Angel, and -!"

"She-Hulk...I know," the green savage told him, bending down on one knee to look him in the eye. Still smiling tenderly as she added, "I...remember."

"Oh, good! Then -!" Shinji began, only for realization to strike once again, this time sending his jaw plummeting to the floor.

It was impossible. What he was thinking, it was completely impossible. There was no way it could be happening, just like that. But even as Shinji thought this, he continued to stare dumbstruck into a face that was smiling more and more broadly. A smile that he knew so well. And her speech patterns were still broken, but they were cleaner, more intelligent than even the last time. Even so, it was impossible, but at the same time...

The inner conflict building up more and more, his mind racing and heart pounding at what he was thinking, Shinji could only stand there, his mouth opening and closing on its own. "Mi..." he tried, only for his throat to tighten, his inner demons telling him that what he suspected simply couldn't be so. "Mi..." he tried again, desperate to believe that it could be, pleading for it to be true. "Misato? Is...?"

The monstrous, brutish woman before him nodded slowly, happily. "Yes...Shinji-kun."

The moment she said that, everything else, Maya's plight, Chiron, Ritsuko and her plan, everything faded away as a joyous grin exploded across Shinji's face. _"Misato!"_ he cried out in absolute delight, jumping forward and wrapping his arms about her thick, heavily muscled neck. "I - is this really happening? Are you -?"

"Yes," She-Hulk - Misato - told him. "I - it's...me."

"Then - you're in control now?" Shinji gasped, barely able to wrap his mind around what was happening. "Wh-what about She-Hulk? Is she -?"

At the mentioning of her savage other, Misato's smile faded somewhat. "She's...here," she rumbled, bringing her hand to her temple. "Both...in here...we..."

Whatever else Misato might have said was suddenly drowned out as a maelstrom of noise echoed down the hallways of NERV. Starting at this, Shinji looked about, peripherally aware that the jade giantess with him was doing the same, trying to process what was happening. "Guns..."

A moment passed as Shinji realized that Misato was correct. "Section 2!" he gasped as the roar of rockets being launched reached them as well. "We're too late! Maya, she -!"

"Not...yet!" Misato growled lowly, her voice more one of determination than rage. Wrapping her arms about Shinji's frame, she effortlessly hefted him up off the ground and started forward. "Shinji..."

"Yes?" Shinji spoke up, the gunfire momentarily forgotten as he met Misato's eyes with his own.

"I...so hard...with her..." Misato rumbled, her voice strained by her more primitive emotions. "Hard to...hold on...I...need you."

Initially perplexed by the notion of her needing him, Shinji then furrowed his brows and nodded determinedly. "I...I'll do whatever you want, Misato!" he vowed with as much strength as he could muster. "What do you need me to do?"

"Hard...keeping focus..." Misato explained, her words slipping somewhat. "Might...lose myself. Need you to...keep me...awake."

"Keep you...?" Shinji repeated before realizing what she meant. However Misato was remaining fully conscious while in her She-Hulk form, it was obvious that she was doing so only with considerable difficulty. While she was speaking more intelligently than before, the words were strained, as if speaking were somehow unnatural for her. And she had already mentioned that the She-Hulk mentality as in there with her.

_Vying for control,_ Shinji realized with a hushed gasp. _They're...they're fighting each other! She-Hulk wants to be in control, and -!_

With this realization came a pang of sorrow. The idea of Misato was essentially at war with herself hit Shinji hard, ruining his earlier hopes of her being in control of what she had become. But at the same time, he realized that what had happened was likely Maya's best chance at survival. She-Hulk's indomitable power wielded by Misato's keen intellect. Sheer brute strength working in tandem with strategic genius. It would be the best of both worlds, and the perfect thing to keep Maya delayed and stop Section 2 at the same time.

_Besides...if Misato can be in this much control, then...maybe she'll be able to come home soon!_ Shinji thought hopefully as she accelerated, holding him tightly and gently to her powerful form. _ I mean, the only reason they keep her locked up is because they're afraid she might hurt someone, but if she's in control, then...that won't happen, right?_

The demons of uncertainty that lived in Shinji were quick to send wisps of fear and doubt into his consciousness. But he promptly shoved them aside. Because whatever happened later, Maya was in danger now. And if Misato needed his help to save her, then he would help her in any way he could.

* * *

"Get ready, men," Chiron muttered beneath his breath, determined not to alert his target to her peril. Determined to make sure that this operation went perfectly.

So far, Ibuki continued to be oblivious to their presence, and continued to stagger towards the nearest tram station. But Chiron knew that could and would change the instant they started firing. _If we don't bring her down with the first round, then we'll have to scatter. Catch her in a crossfire. Make sure that she can't infect any of us,_ he thought, knowing that he had to be one step ahead of her, ready for if and when the fight turned ugly. _As long as she doesn't have an AT-Field or the same kind of hide as the green freak does, we should be able to take her down._

Satisfied with this, as well as his backup plans in case things went south on them, Chiron took careful aim at Ibuki. "Take aim," he muttered as he targeted her neck. If her body tissues had been augmented by her transformation, then the lack of muscles in the neck would make it the easiest point for a bullet to penetrate and cause some serious damage. As the rest of his men cocked their weapons, certainly picking out vulnerable spots of their own, Chiron allowed his lips to curl into a tiny smile before he uttered two of his favorite words. _"Open fire!"_

Before Ibuki could even react to the sound of his voice, Chiron and the rest of his people let loose a hailstorm of bullets at the freakish female, followed closely by an onslaught of rocket-propelled grenades and missiles. Round after round poured out at her, ripping into her tattered NERV uniform. The first rocket that hit struck her in the middle of her back, scorching the cloth and leaving tongues of flame licking at the tatters. A grenade struck her on the head, knocking her forward.

_That's it, keep it up!_ Chiron thought feverishly as the bombardment continued. _She might not have an AT-Field, but she's still pretty thick-skinned! Don't give her a chance to retaliate! _Though he didn't say this aloud, Chiron's men still heeded his thought. More missiles and grenades shot forth, each and every one of them striking home. The freakish creature Ibuki had become cried out, but was unable to fight back.

Eventually, one of their weapons clicked on empty, and was soon followed by another one. To Chiron's satisfaction, the men in question stopped trying to fire and promptly discharged their emptied clips, already fetching replacements. As he himself did when his own weapon was expended. _That's it, men! Reload!_ the Section 2 head thought as the rest of their weapons were emptied. _We've got her right where we -!_

"Aw..._damn..."_

Freezing just as he was about to slam a fresh ammo clip into his weapon, Chiron quickly looked in the direction the despairing moan had come from. He looked just long enough to see one of his men turn a deathly pale, another's jaw fall open, and a third's eyes pop out of their sockets before following their horrified gazes. It was all he could do to maintain his composure when he saw Ibuki still standing there, her tattered uniform reduced to little more than rags. And not so much as a single blemish on her metallic skin. The only thing they had done that could even come close to qualifying as damage was the way the rockets and grenades had mussed up Ibuki's hair.

Sneering, Chiron still remained in control of his emotions. "Reload!" he ordered even as he did so him. He hefted up his rifle just as Ibuki turned and looked. Just looked at him, her face tired and her eyes free of malice...before turning away and starting forward again.

Of all the things Chiron could have imagined happening, this had not even come close to being one of them. Ibuki was walking away, acting like nothing had even happened.

As he watched Ibuki continue away, Chiron just stood there for a long time before his entire body began to quake with anger. This was even worse than what She-Hulk had done to him. The thing Ibuki had become was ignoring him, completely dismissing him as a threat. As if there was one thing that Iwao Chiron would never abide by, it was being dismissed by a _woman._

"Alright, bitch. You want to play it that, then _fine!"_ Chiron snarled hatefully. "Fan out and take flanking positions, men! We're bringing this bitch down no matter -!"

"No, stop!" came another voice. A familiar voice. A voice that took Chiron's fury and fanned it to even greater levels of anger.

"Pilot Ikari, you are not supposed to be here!" Chiron growled as he slowly turned around to face the impertinent young punk that had the gall to interfere with his operation. "Get back to safe distance before I -!"

"Before you do _what,_ Captain?" Shinji wondered, a smug smile curling his lips. A smile that grew broader as Chiron and the other Section 2 men looked up...and realized that he wasn't alone. Her brows furrowed with barely constrained rage, the freakish manifestation of the slut Katsuragi glared for a long time at her fellow monster before turning her baleful gaze on the Section 2 personnel.

But even as his men backed away from the ugly green freak, Chiron narrowed his eyes contemptuously at the little punk. "Listen, Pilot Ikari, I'm here under direct orders from the Commander," he informed him in a voice heavy with authority. "Now, either you tell that damned whore of yours to back off, or I'll have you charged for insubordination and -!"

"And nothing...you...porker," She-Hulk growled vehemently, a strained grin appearing on her face.

"I'm not talking to you, whore, I'm -!" Chiron started, only for his conscious mind to suffer the equivalent of a Blue Screen of Death as it attempted to process the import of what she had just said.

* * *

Despite the situation, Misato couldn't help but smile at the look of consummate horror that currently defined Chiron's face. The Section 2 head could only stand there, looking at her in stupefied silence as she glared at the rest of his team. "As of...this moment...I'm taking...charge of this...operation," she gritted out, speaking in a voice that wasn't her own, her words coming only with great difficulty. Then she snarled slightly and raised her fist up at them, adding, "And anybody that...don't like it...will answer...to _this!"_

This quickly garnered the reaction Misato had been hoping for. "No problem, ma'am!" one of Chiron's men squeaked out, and was quickly followed by several others.

_Good. You see?_ Misato thought, a thought she directed to the other persona rattling about in her mind. _We won't have to smash them._

_Want to smash them,_ the She-Hulk mentality shot back with obvious anger. Anger that Misato could feel poisoning her, battering away at her. Causing her heart to pound that much harder, her free hand to curl into a fist. _Stupid men in black hurt She-Hulk, hurt Shinji, hurt Spirit! Hurt them back!_

_No. We might need them to protect Shinji,_ Misato returned as she fought to withstand the primal forces her other self represented. The ocean of emotion and power that they still floated in, an ocean of which She-Hulk was the master. An ocean that Misato could easily drown in. _Someone has to protect Shinji while we deal with Maya, remember? Shinji's safety has to come first._

The She-Hulk mentality didn't like this answer. But at the same time, Misato knew that, like her, it cared deeply for Shinji. And it was this commonality that allowed her to win this minor debate. That allowed her to remain in control just a little bit longer.

Ever the transformation had been completed, with Misato still aware in She-Hulk's body, she had been struggling with her brutish alter ego. Even when she had been talking with Shinji, accepting the boy's happy greeting and delighted hug, she had been grappling with a primal force of raw emotion and instinct. A mentality that was effectively the culmination of millions of years of survival instinct combined with pure rage and hatred for the Angels, and it was a mentality that didn't take kindly to having someone try to give it orders. And it was a constant struggle for Misato to not give in to every single surge of emotion, every basic impulse that occurred to her. But struggle she did, for she knew that to give in once would be to give her savage persona the opening it needed to brush her aside and send her flailing into the darkness.

_And I can't let that happen! Maya's counting on me! _Misato declared inwardly.

_On She-Hulk,_ her other self snorted back.

_On us both,_ Misato concluded.

Fortunately, her other self was apparently satisfied, the perpetual rage and emotion she flooded Misato's consciousness abating somewhat. And just in time, for Chiron was recovering and reacting to his men deciding to heed their common sense. "Now, wait just a moment!" the male chauvinist prick howled, utterly outraged. "I take orders from Commander Ikari, _period!"_

_Smash stupid man!_ She-Hulk snarled hatefully, her free hand balling up into a ham-sized fist.

_No time. Better idea,_ Misato answered, focusing her mind on that fist, and forcing the forefinger and the thumb of that hand into a somewhat different position

"Now, you listen, and you listen good, you damned whore!" Chiron continued to rant. "Because I -!"

"Shut...up...!" Misato snarled as she leveled her free hand with Chiron's face. Before he could say anything to this, she flicked her finger at him. The result was the Section 2 Captain flying backwards like he had just taken a cannonball to the face. The egotistical bastard flew at least two or three yards, unconscious before he even crashed to the ground.

Satisfied that Chiron wouldn't be bothering them again anytime soon, She-Hulk's anger subsided somewhat. Allowing Misato to focus on the rest of the Section 2 nuisances as they looked from their flattened boss, then to each other, then towards her. Each of their faces went pale as the jade giantess narrowed her eyes at them and growled, "Now...does anybody else...have anything...to say?"

"Nope!" yelped one agent.

"Not me!" another one gulped.

"Nonononono!" a third one whimpered.

Misato nodded to this, smiling in satisfaction. _Just like a pack of wolves. You deal with the leader, you've dealt with the pack_, she thought at her other self. Fortunately, this was a very basic reality, one of the laws of the jungle, and a concept the savage mentality could accept without difficulty. Allowing her to move on. "Alright, then...you're...gonna look...after...Shinji..." With this statement, she carefully set the boy down on the ground next to her. Then she rose back up, and drove her fist into the palm of her other hand. "He...gets hurt...you get hurt. Bad. Got that?"

_"Yes, sir!"_ the Section 2 agents responded as one, each of them snapping off a crisp salute.

Not wasting the effort needed to acknowledge them, Misato turned to her ward and cupped his cheek "Shinji...wait here..." she told him, her tone softening considerably. "And...stay safe..."

Placing his own tiny, tender hand on her own, Shinji replied, "I will, Misato. And...please, be careful."

Smiling broadly, Misato nodded before returning her attention to her fellow mutant. Her fellow victim of the Angels' evil, and started forward. _Remember, this is still Maya we're dealing with! What's happened to her, it isn't her fault!_ she told herself. And more importantly, told the rampaging force of destruction that was struggling to take over their shared body. _We have to be careful._

Unfortunately, the She-Hulk mentality was having trouble focusing on what Misato wanted. The Maya she knew was a good person, the savage knew, and she did want to help her. But at the same time, she couldn't see the Maya she knew. All she could see was the metal-skinned woman with the heavy gauntlet about her right arm. and more importantly from her perspective, she could sense the energy that the nanites contaminating her radiated. That same poisonous feeling of danger and evil that she had felt in her nightmares, as well as when they had tracking the 10th Angel. A hateful, monstrous force that caused her features to twist with loathing.

_I know! I sense the Angel, too! But that's because it's _inside _of Maya,_ Misato pleaded her other self. _Remember what Ritsuko said before! The Angel infected the base, as well as the MAGI! So it could infect Maya, too!_

The She-Hulk mentality considered this briefly. She remembered Maya's hasty briefing regarding their situation as well as Misato did, and she had heard Ritsuko's explanation as to how the young Captain had been infected as Misato did. But unlike Misato, the savage persona wasn't very capable when it came to understanding such explanations. She was a creature of action, not cerebration, and such concepts were difficult at best for her to make sense of.

_Come on, we both know this can happen!_ Misato snarled with mounting impatience. _The Angel transformed Maya like Jet Alone and Adam transformed me! And Maya's got that Angel controlling her like you want to control this body! _This argument enjoyed a bit more success, but it still didn't end She-Hulk's frustration. She didn't want to stand around debating things. Her focus was on the Angel, the enemy. A monster like all the other monsters they both so hated. And this hatred was already building up with greater and greater intensity, and Misato knew it was only a matter of time before it overwhelmed her and found expression. _Look, Ritsuko's coming! And as soon as she gets here, she'll take care of the Angel! That's _her _job!_

_Smash Angel... _her savage other snarled.

_No, we can't! We have our own job to do!_ Misato protested desperately, trying to find an argument that would sway her other self. And argument that fell in line with her aggression. _We have to stop Maya from leaving! If the Angel gets her into the city, then it could possibly infect other people! That Angel will be able to ruin all their lives, possibly kill them if we let it!_

_Then...smash Angel?_ the savage persona asked.

Grunting her own frustration at the single-mindedness with which her other self pursued that goal, Misato replied, _No, we _stall_ Maya and keep her here until Ritsuko gets here and deals with the Angel herself._

_Stall?_ the savage persona grated, truly not liking the sound of that.

_Yes! We keep her busy! _Misato shot back, putting forth all her mental strength into this attempt to reason with her other self. _No matter what it takes, we _don't _let her get outside the Geofront! And if that means that we have to knock her around a bit, then fine! But we're not _killing_ Maya! We're _saving _her! Got that?_

The She-Hulk personality considered this for a moment before the pressure it exerted on Misato's own conscious mind eased somewhat, apparently satisfied that physical action was part of the plan, that it would have somewhere to channel its aggression. With this minor victory, Misato continued forward, unwilling to take the chance of her other self trying something else.

Fortunately enough, while the battle with her more primitive self had been grueling, it had lasted only a couple seconds in the real world. And during that time, Misato had kept moving forward, placing one of her massive, green feet in front of the other. Wishing that she could let herself relax, and actually enjoy the obvious power this body possessed, she kept her focus on Maya. The mutated woman was apparently oblivious to the jade giantess's presence, and was still staggering towards the tram. And more importantly, she had yet to make any violent moves.

_Which means that...maybe the Angel is still screwed up the EMP,_ Misato thought with some difficulty, the power and rage flooding her conscious, making it that much harder to plan out her next move. _So...maybe Maya's like how She-Hulk is. _Heaving a determined breath, she narrowed her eyes at the mutated woman. _And if that's the case...maybe I can reason with her the way Shinji can with She-Hulk._

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was plausible. And it was much better than just going in and starting swinging at her. And perhaps best of all, if Misato could talk her down, then her She-Hulk persona would see that she wasn't evil, the same way she had finally realized it with Spirit. So pausing to breathe, to steady her mind as much as she could, Misato called out, "Maya!"

The result was instantaneous. The creature Maya reacted to the sound of her own name by stopping in mid-step, almost stumbling forward in the process. Taking a moment to stabilize herself, make sure that she didn't lose her balance again, the metallic mutant turned to look at Misato. Her mouth popping open, she frowned in confusion, clearly surprised by the emerald Amazon's presence. But there was no reaction beyond that, and certainly nothing that would provoke a violent response from the She-Hull mentality.

_Aside from the fact that she's sending out Angelic energy,_ Misato thought, knowing that they were a long ways away from being out of the woods. Fighting to make certain that her other self didn't assert itself, she gestured at herself and asked, "Maya...do you...know...who I am?"

Maya didn't respond. She simply stood there, her head slowly rolling from one side, than the next, her eyes narrowed as she studied the other superwomen. There was no anger in her expression, nothing to indicate that she was preparing to attack, something even Misato's other recognized. "I'm...Misato," the jade giantess spoke as gently as she could, gesturing at herself. "I'm here...to...help."

A long moment passed as Maya looked at Misato, her expression softening. "He..." she started, her voice clumsy, unwieldy. "He...help?

"That's...right," Misato replied, slowly making her way forward. Trying not to provoke her friend or her other self. "Me...Shinji...we just want...to help."

Maya just kept looking at Misato querulously. She wasn't responding to the beast-woman's pleas, but she wasn't running or attacking, either. She just kept looking at the green woman, like she wasn't sure what to make of her, until at last she took a step forward. Upon seeing this, the She-Hulk aspect caused her body to tense in readiness, anticipating an attack. It was a motion that caused Maya to gasp and pull back.

Misato was sorely tempted to roar at other self, to take the rage that was flowing through her and send it squarely at the thing that was trying to co-opt her body. But at the same, she knew she couldn't give into her anger. She couldn't give into the beast. And so she sucked in a heavy breath, and doubled her efforts. _This is still _my _body!_ she told herself, forcing herself to stand still, to raise her arm up. To extend her hand to another person that had become a prisoner in her own body. _And Maya is _still _my friend!_

Taking this thought and repeating it, Misato stood as still as she could manage, and said, "Come on...Maya. Let...us...help..."

Glancing down at the proffered hand, then into Misato's eyes, Maya frowned uncertainly before finally starting forward again. Her knee wobbling as her gauntleted right arm pulled her slightly off-balance, she then compensated and practically staggered into the emerald Amazon. "Help..." she moaned almost desperately as she placed her left hand on Misato's shoulder.

"Of course...we'll help," Misato assured Maya even as she wrapped her right arm about her muscular neck. "We'll - _aaccck!"_

"Help...!" Maya moaned again, but Misato barely heard it as her body was jolted. A strange sensation rippled through her body, stealing her breath away and leaving her trembling with shock and confusion.

Startled by the sudden attack, Misato was helpless to do anything. Her conscious mind simply couldn't comprehend why her friend would attack without provocation. But her savage other was a creature of instinct, and didn't bother to wonder. It simply reacted by pulling back her free arm and lashing out, sending her forearm flying into Maya's side with such force that it created a mild sonic boom. The mutated woman was sent flying away, tumbling about through the air before crashing on her back.

_"Angel!"_ Misato's voice snarled, her lips pulling back into a hate-filled grimace as her body settled into a battle-ready stance, her hands balling up into fists. But Misato wasn't the one doing these things.

_No!_ Misato gasped as she looked out through her eyes, unable to control the way they furrowed with hatred. Once again a prisoner in her own body, her savage other having shoved her to the side as easily as she had Maya. _Dammit, dammit, no! Not now! Not when we -!_

_Now we smash!_ She-Hulk snarled back, bending down slightly and flexing her arms as she unleashed a monstrous, devastating roar. A roar that echoed about the Geofront, stirring the leaves and rippling through the grass. And at the same time, prompting Maya to regain her feet, the metallic woman now moving with much greater strength and agility.

Only she wasn't metallic any longer.

Still able to make use of her body's senses, Misato watched as Maya stood up upright, grinning deliriously as glowing green circuits appeared along her gauntlet, as it sent the energy it had stolen from She-Hulk into its bearer. The metallic grey faded from Maya's skin, and was quickly replaced with a light green. Her muscles bulged tremendously, her bones cracking and shifting, becoming bigger, sturdier. Her pants split even further up the seams as her breasts swelled up, splitting her front completely open. The mutant woman flexed her arms, watching in obvious delight as her biceps doubled in size. Then she looked at the generator on her right forearm, and watched as the spheroid object at the end broke into circuit line as well, and then began to change form. Flowing like liquid as the Angelic nanites reformed into a large, armored hand, a hand that Maya clenched into a fist before falling into a crouch.

"Help!" Maya grinned eagerly as she lunged forward, hands outstretched and ready to seize their prey.

* * *

"There!" Ritsuko grinned in triumph as she pressed the Enter button. Heaving a relieved breath as the results of her hard work scrolled by on the screen. "It's ready, sir!"

Bending forward to look over her shoulder, Chihiro wondered, "Are you sure this will work, Dr. Akagi?"

"As sure as I can be, sir," Ritsuko replied, trying to project confidence while admitting that there were no certainties in what they were doing. "Judging from the data we gathered from Maya's laptop, this modified program should complete the one that was absorbed by her nanites. And if it works the same with her as it did with the MAGI, then her nanites will start working in synch with her natural physiology, allowing her to control them."

"What about the generator?" Makoto wondered nervously. "Will she be able to take it off?"

"One thing at a time, boys," Ritsuko replied, not having a clue how to answer that particular question. "Right now, we still have to figure out how to upload the program into Maya's nanites." Glancing about at the technicians surrounding her, supposedly the best of the best, she asked, "So if anybody's got any ideas on how we can do that, now's the time."

"What about Maya's laptop?" Shigeru suggested, eyeing the device that was still connected to the MAGI. "It's still got lots of her nanites inside of it, and if they're all connected, then maybe we can use it to send her the program from here!"

"Unfortunately, we don't know what range the Angel's nanites have, how close they have to be in order to communicate with each other," Ritsuko countered in an even voice. "When they infected the MAGI, they were using the existing circuitry and other elements within NERV to spread from one place to another." Then she glanced down at the contaminated computer and admitted, "Still, that laptop is likely the best possible method of loading the program. Maya's nanites are more likely to accept it if they receive it from other nanites."

"But if we can't broadcast the program to Maya, then how are we supposed to help her?" Makoto wondered, glancing from one face to another.

"Assuming that the nanites need to in a physical network in order to communicate, our only option would be to physically connect Maya to the laptop." Pulling off her glasses, Ritsuko thought of the advice given to her by Misato, then turned to look at her current understudy. "Chihiro, that generator's your baby. Is there any way of hooking it up to a computer?"

Nodding, Chihiro answered, "Of course there is. All you have to do is hook the laptop to one of the USB ports on it, and you're good to go." As soon as she said these words, however, the Lieutenant made a face and added, "That is, assuming there are any USB ports left on it, with all the redesigning the nanites have done."

"We better hope there are, because right now, that sounds like our only chance," Ritsuko decided, rising to her feet and starting over towards the laptop.

"Doctor?" Chihiro murmured as the other techs looked on. "What are you doing?"

"It's like I said before, Chihiro. This laptop is likely the best way of feeding Maya the modified program," Ritsuko explained as she bent down and unplugged it from the MAGI. "And if we can't bring Maya to it, then we'll just have to bring it to her."

"But - wait, Doc!" Shigeru protested as she took the device in hand. "What if - that thing's lousy with nanites! What if they infect you?"

"I've already loaded the complete program onto this thing, boys. Which means that whatever nanites are in it, they're working with it and won't be infecting anybody," Ritsuko replied, hoping that this statement was correct. The scientist in her knew just how well they _didn't _understand the Angels and their capabilities, and even if the program was making the nanites docile, she knew that there was a chance that they could still migrate to another host. That there was an element of risk in what she was doing.

_Of course, doing the right thing is _always _risky, isn't it?_ Ritsuko thought, recalling a day not all that long ago when her best friend risked everything she had, her entire life, because she thought she had to in order to save lives. And she thought of other people who had put their lives on the line and lost, all to stop the man who operated from the shadows, pulling the strings of everything in NERV._ But then, what do I know?_ she asked herself, her mental voice holding an edge of bitterness to it as she thought of someone else. Someone who never risked anything, because of her scientific mind, a mind that said that there was no point in risking her life, only to fail and die. _It's been a long time since I've risked anything. Or done the right thing._

With this thought ringing in her mind, Ritsuko held up the laptop and tucked it securely under her arm. "Makoto, call Shinji and let him know I'm coming with the program."

"You're coming -?" Makoto sputtered out, his voice rising with his surprise. "Wait, are you saying - _you're _going to deliver the program? _You?"_

"That's right. I'm the one who helped design the program, and I know the Angels as well as anybody else," Ritsuko decreed with increasing heat. "That means that I'm the one best-suited to deliver it!"

As the technicians fell back in surprise, another voice was heard. "Are you sure about that, Dr. Akagi?" Fuyutsuki intoned, the old professor no long pretending to be asleep. Standing there, his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her. "Don't forget that you're also our Head Scientist. If anything were to happen to you, it would be a serious blow to NERV, as well as the war against the Angels."

Meeting Fuyutsuki's gaze, Ritsuko stood there for a time, the scientist in her ready and waiting to sit out very scientific, logical reasons why she had to be the one to do this. That it only made sense that she was the one to go up into the midst of battle and risk everything. But when she finally opened her mouth and started to speak, it wasn't the part of her that was a scientist that was speaking. "Sir...please, let me do this," she pleaded, her voice that of a younger woman, the part of her that had been dominant back in college. The part of her that had genuinely enjoyed her life, and the company of good friends. "Right now, one of the best friends I've ever had is trapped in a nightmare because I wasn't able to stop this damned thing, and another of my best friends is fighting her own monster to give me a chance to save her. And I'm not just going to sit around here, waiting and watching while someone else does my job for me!" Wincing at the way she had phrased this, like it was just a job to her, the faux-blonde sucked in a quick breath before trying again. "Please, sir...I _have _to do this."

The old professor simply stood there, studying her for a time. Finally, his stern expression softened, and the years fell away from him. "I never would have dreamed of stopping you." With a tender smile, Fuyutsuki nodded and told her, "Go. Go and save your friends."

After a moment of looking at the kindly expression on Fuyutsuki's face, one that she would hardly believed him capable of, Ritsuko returned it in kind. "Thank you, sir," she gently murmured before turning and starting towards the door.

_Misato, Maya, please just hold on!_ Ritsuko pleaded with her heard as she left the bridge behind, dashing up the hall as quickly as she could.

* * *

"Misato, _no!_ Don't do it!" Shinji cried out in terror as his guardian crouched and roared savagely.

Misato didn't respond to his cry. Instead, she glared hatefully at the woman she had come to save even Maya shot toward her with dazzling swiftness, her body flooded with new power. Determined to take even more of the energy she needed to survive, the mutant woman leapt forward, her metal hand stretched out towards the jade giantess. Eager to absorb even more power.

Misato, or rather She-Hulk, was having none of that. The emerald savage that had shaken free of Misato's control caught Maya's hand in her own, and promptly squeezed. Her metal hand buckled, then was utterly crushed, her fingers splaying out in all the wrong directions. But Maya didn't even seem to notice. She simply grinned even more deeply as her gauntlet again lit up, stealing more energy from She-Hulk. Her muscles swelled even more, her skin turning a brighter green. Crying out in clear dismay, She-Hulk released Maya's mangled hand and quickly grabbed her by the face. But even as she hefted her up, Maya quickly reached out with her good hand and wrapped her fingers about She-Hulk's throat.

"Stop it! Both of you, just stop!" Shinji cried out, practically in tears as this disaster unfolded before him. Misato had asked him to help her, to make sure that she had remained in control of She-Hulk's body, and he had stood there in silence, doing nothing. Afraid to say anything, lest he panic Maya, provoke her and ruin Misato's attempts to talk her down.

Now it was too late. The savage beast-woman either couldn't hear him or was ignoring him as she continued to snarl her fury, ignoring Maya's choking grip as she drew back her fist. Wanting nothing more than to mitigate his mistake, Shinji darted forward. "Misato, please! You have to -!"

"Hold it right there, kid!" one of the Section 2 men countered, grabbing Shinji before he could take more than a step. "You try and get in between those two, and all you'll do is get mashed into chunky salsa!"

"But -!" Shinji protested, glancing back at the agent. But his protest was cut short by both the look the man wore, and the realization that he was right. So he fell silent in defeat, and looked back towards the disaster that was in the offing. Maya's metal hand was transforming once more, turning into a spiked version of the spheroid from before, but this time, it was connected to her gauntlet by a thick metal cable. As She-Hulk lifted her up into the air, the mutant woman rapidly spun the orb about like a morningstar and swung it at her adversary.

The spiked orb crashed down on She-Hulk's shoulder with devastating force, the spikes burying themselves into her skin and muscle, sending blood spraying outwards. Crying out in pain, the emerald savage furrowed her brows and countered, firing off a massive punch into Maya's stomach. The mutated woman cried out in pain, the air cruelly driven from her lungs, breaking her grip on She-Hulk's neck. Taking full advantage of this, the jade giantess drove her opponent into the ground while at the same time plucking the morningstar of her shoulder. Her wounds instantly healing, she took a firm hold of the connecting cable with both hands and pulled hard, yanking Maya back up off the ground, and started twirling her about.

Howling her protest, Maya morphed the spiked ball at the other end of the cable, the spikes turning in to small cables that spread out and wrapped about both of her foe's wrists. She was just in time, for an instant later, She-Hulk released her grip on the cable, only to be very surprised when the mutated woman didn't go flying off into the distance. Taking advantage of She-Hulk's confusion, the metal-armed mutant retracted the cable and pulled herself in, raising her feet as she closed to gap and delivering a clumsy, yet powerful kick that sent the savage she-beast flying backwards. Riding She-Hulk like she were a living surfboard, Maya grabbed her the neck once again, her gauntlet lighting up as it siphoned even more gamma power from her foe.

Utterly helpless, Shinji watched as Maya's body shuddered, growing even more muscular. Her skin turned a darker green, almost matching She-Hulk's, as her muscles swelled and breasts bulged. This spelled the end of her shredded NERV uniform, the tatters of which snapped and fell away from her. If Maya noticed that she was now exposed for the entire world to see, she didn't seem to care. She just gasped in delight every time her muscles grew more, her entire body trembling with ecstasy as She-Hulk's skin seemed to pale somewhat.

Caught between fear and embarrassment, his cheeks burning despite everything, Shinji cried out, "Misato! You have to do something!"

She-Hulk did something. She did what she did best. She acted aggressively. Flipping herself off of her back, she sent Maya tumbling off of her. Scrambling about on the ground, the beast-woman quickly found her feet and stood. Howling as her foe attempted to get away, Maya pulled with her gauntleted arm, attempting to drag She-Hulk back down. The savage woman responded with a roar of her own, digging in her feet as she pulled that much harder, yanking Maya towards her. Her hands still bound, She-Hulk surged forward, greeting her opponent with a head butt that sounded with a crashing of thunder. Staggered by the blow, Maya was sent tumbling backwards as She-Hulk pressed her advantage, rushing in to deliver a double-fisted punch to her chin. Rocketing up from the blow, her unexpected flight was abruptly terminated when the emerald savage again yanked hard on the cable, pulling it taut and sending Maya arching downwards to a spectacular crash, sending dirt and detritus flying in every direction.

With Maya half-buried in the earth, She-Hulk growled irritably as she turned her attention to the cables binding her arms together. Her eyes furrowed with mounting rage, she snarled hatefully as she struggled against her restraints. Her eyes gleaming with emerald fury, the green of her flesh deepening once again, she finally snapped free of the cables, leaving the rest of the morningstar to fall to the ground. With her hands free once more, she charged towards her downed foe, who was already regaining her feet.

"Stupid Angel!" She-Hulk snarled as she pounced on Maya, wrapping her arms about the other woman, sending them both flying through the air. Hitting the ground again, the two of them tumbled about on the earth for a few seconds before Maya swatted at her foe with her armored forearm, knocking her away.

The two of them quickly stumbled to their feet, with Maya hurriedly retracting the cable, quickly snapping the spiked orb back in place, which just as quickly morphed into a hand once again. A hand that she raised and thrust forward, launching it her emerald adversary. She-Hulk responded by sucking in a quick breath, her eyes flashing before she fired off an Impact Roar. The wave of green power knocked the hand back, sending it down to the ground.

Denied the chance to siphon off even more energy, Maya quickly reeled in her metal hand as she launched herself forward with a roar of challenge. This was met by and even deeper, hateful roar as She-Hulk rose up, raising her fists over her head before smashing them into the ground with all her strength. The resulting shockwaves very nearly sent Shinji and the rest of Section 2 tumbling to the ground, while at ground-zero, the very earth was split apart. Still rushing forward, Maya was brought up short when the earth beneath her was shattered, chunks of grass and earth falling away, revealing metal plating beneath them.

_"No!"_ Shinji cried out in horror as more and more of the ground fell away, revealing nothing but emptiness beneath. An emptiness that Maya plunged into, helplessly windmilling her arms and legs before falling out of sight. Raising his hands up to his face, he stood there and watched, certain that this latest victim of the Angels was gone before something metal flew up over the side of the crevasse, trailing a cable behind it.

Very nearly collapsing in relief as Maya's metal hand landed, her fingers digging into the ground, Shinji quickly glanced up at his guardian, lost in a berserker rage. _This is all my fault! Misato needed me, and...and I didn't do anything!_ he moaned inwardly, cursing his cowardice and indecision with everything he was worth. _And now She-Hulk's gonna kill Maya, and there's nothing I can do to -!_

At that moment, something in the back of Shinji's mind kicked him, and told them there _was _something he could do. That an opportunity was lying before him, practically in the palm of his hands. Spurred on by this, the boy looked up and quickly glanced at the Section 2 men. None of them were bothering to look at him. They were all still somewhat dazed and shaken from what had happened to them. All of them showing a healthy fear of the female titans that were battling for supremacy. All of them focused on them, wanting nothing more than to make sure they stayed as far away from the as possible.

Shinji wasn't afraid of the two beast-women. He had faced greater dangers as the pilot of Unit 01, standing at the threshold of disaster every time he'd gone to battle with the Angels. And more importantly, he had a promise to keep. And two people depending on him to keep it.

Not giving himself a chance to start worrying, to start doubting himself again, Shinji launched himself into a flat-out sprint. "Hey, wait!" one of the Section 2 men cried out in dismay seconds later, but it was already too late, and he was likely too scared for his own life to give chase.

_I can't let this happen! Not again!_ Shinji thought, recalling the destructive battle between She-Hulk and Spirit, how the knowledge that she had very nearly killed an innocent had had Misato begging for her own death. _I've got to get them to stop fighting each other!_ Despite not having any idea how to do this, the 3rd Child kept running forward as Maya recovered and pulled herself back up onto the ground, only to be knocked backwards by another Impact Roar.

"Misato! Maya!" Shinji cried out as he approached, hoping to divert both their attention from each other and onto him. "Please, you have to stop fighting!"

Starting at his voice, She-Hulk frowned and looked towards Shinji. A moment later, Maya glanced his way as well, genuine curiosity in her eyes as she watched him continue towards them. Taking advantage of this momentary pause, Shinji poured on the speed until he was situated roughly between the two of them. Stopping a safe distance from the deep chasm She-Hulk had unearthed, he then held out his hands to both of them, trying not to blush as he took in Maya's augmented form, bare of any clothing, and She-Hulk's burgeoning body with a badly ripped medical gown straining to conceal it. "Listen, Misato! You have to stop! Maya _isn't _the enemy! It's the Angel! Remember?" Then he swung his head towards the transmuted Captain and cried out, "Maya, look! I know you must be scared, okay? But please, you don't have to fight anymore!"

"Shinji-kun, go! Not stay!" She-Hulk protested, her guttural speech making it abundantly clear which persona was in command. "Angel -!"

"No, Misato! This isn't Maya's fault!" Shinji protested, his voice filling with greater emotion. "I know what she did to you, but she's just trying to stay alive!" Heaving a heavy breath, he quickly glanced from She-Hulk to Maya and back again. "Don't you remember what Akagi-san told you? She needs power to survive! That's why she went after you!" Furrowing her brow, the emerald Amazon looked up from the boy to her foe. "Isn't that right, Maya? You just wanted to live, that's all!"

A moment passed as the two of them looked at the mutated woman. "Help..." she slowly uttered, the word coming with difficulty as she focused on She-Hulk. "Live..."

"That's right!" Shinji nodded enthusiastically before swinging back to look at She-Hulk. "C'mon, Misato! You know Maya wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose! It's the Angel that's messing her up!" The jade giantess frowned slightly, her eyes shifting from one figure to another. "I know how much you hate the Angels, Misato! But I also know there's no way you'd ever hurt anyone just to destroy one of them! Please, give Ritsuko some time! I know she'll get here soon, and when she does -!"

A sudden, tinny ringing cut Shinji off, popping open both his eyes and mouth as he glanced down at his pocket. Belatedly realizing that his cell phone was ringing, he automatically reached for it. Forgetting about the two beast women for just a moment, and sending everything to blazes.

Maya, driven by her and the Angel's hunger for more energy, looked from Shinji to She-Hulk, and saw that the jade giantess was focused on the boy, not on her. Realizing that she had an opening, she quickly took advantage of it and fired off her metal hand at She-Hulk.

The emerald Amazon looked up just in time to see the metal hand catch her in the face. But even as it lit up, sending more gamma power down the cable, She-Hulk roared hatefully and grabbed hold of the cable. "No! Misato! Maya!" Shinji cried out, his phone forgotten as he once again tried to cool down the savage females. But it was already too late; tearing off the offending hand, She-Hulk leapt skyward. Shooting past the helplessly protesting Shinji, the jade destroyer pulled hard on the cable even as Maya was attempting to reel her hand back in. The result was the sudden acceleration of nearly a thousand pounds of gamma-mutated muscle as she flew fist first at Maya.

She-Hulk struck dead center, her emerald knuckles drilling into Maya's midriff, driving the mutated woman into the ground, and causing even more cracks to appear, spreading out from the point of impact. And as they spread, the ground the two mutants and Shinji stood upon shook violently, jostling about and slowly collapsing, bits and chunks of falling into the darkness.

"Oh, no...!" Shinji groaned in defeat, staring stupidly at the ground beneath him pitched off the side, forcing him to spin his arms about in a desperate attempt to main his balance.

Hearing his voice, She-Hulk turned from her foe, her face falling in horror when she realized the boy's peril. "Shinji!" she cried out desperately, already turning to come to his aide. But before she could move, Maya sprang up, not even close to out of the fight, and wrapped her arms about the savage she-beast's legs. Screeching in pure outrage, She-Hulk had just enough time to look at her foe before the ground fell out from under the both of them, sending them tumbling down in the gaping chasm.

"No! _No!"_ was all Shinji had time to say as the ground beneath him gave way as well. Leaving him helpless to do anything but flail about helplessly as he fell into the darkness...

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, I was hoping to wrap up the entire battle this chapter, but with so much going on, as well as setting the stage for future events, things ran longer than I had expected. So I decided to end it, but don't worry, I don't expect it to be nearly so long before I update this story again. In the meantime, please, read and review! And maybe check out some of my other stories.

As for my reasons for overhauling this story, I felt that there was a fair amount of material that I had simply skipped by without covering to the best of my ability. I just hope that I did a fairly effective job of that. The next story I plan on overhauling is Lilith's Herald. Hope that works out. Also, I want to take a moment to thank Emperor Nescaro, who pre-read this and the other chapters of Emerald Fury.

Zoro50, I'm glad you're enjoying Maya's first steps to the dark side, and indeed, what's happening to her is going to have a major impact on the rest of the cast. And I did have fun with the situation with Chiron. As for Asuka, I think I gave some decent justification for her actions and attitude with the overhaul of this story. In her mind, Shinji is attempting to undermine NERV and make it look bad with his attempts to get to the bottom of the Jet Alone disaster, and anything bad for NERV is bad for her. So she's making his life difficult in order to dissuade him, among other things.

Quathis, yeah, I'm trying to give Shinji a different role in each of the SOE stories, given that he's such a prominent character in Eva canon. I'm just glad it's working out so far with this one. Also, She-Hulk has also fought to protect Rei and Spirit. As for Misato controlling her temper, she knew that the instant she showed any signs of changing, Chiron and his goons would have tranqed her, and she wasn't about to give them that chance. As for Shinji...did you enjoy the bit with him riding up She-Hulk, being all smug about it?

Mike313, what can I say? In my opinion, sometimes turning some of the Eva girls to villains gives me opportunities to explore aspects of themselves that wouldn't normally be available. Of course, some are easier to make go bad than others (and no, I'm not just talking about Asuka there). Indeed, Spirit's confidence has taken as much of a beating as her body. As for Maya, I guess I'm not spoiling it now that a couple people have successfully guessed that she's become the female analog of the Absorbing Man. And okay, you're welcome to your opinion. Though if you ask me, Asuka would likely make an excellent Giganta...

As for your issues with Misato's scar, while I was working the overhaul, I did talk to family who have worked in hospitals and such, and they told me that people who have scars, particularly those with painful memories attached to them, will try to avoid looking to them, especially if they're upset. I realize that I was pushing a bit, but I felt that it would be a good idea to spread things out a bit. Though I'm glad you like the changes I made with Chapter 10. I think those scenes really added to the overall feel of things.

Dark Vizard447, unfortunately, until Misato's finally free to go home, Shinji's simply going to have to live with the red-haired terror. And well, let's just say that I have something in mind to deal with the age-gap, and leave it at that.

Ryuus2, I decided to turn Maya into the Absorbing Woman for a couple reasons. The first of them is that, in Marvel, the Absorbing Man comes off as being one of the less evil villains, being more of a Punch-Clock Villain than anything else. He has a wife that he cares for, and at one time, he tried very hard to go straight so that they could have a normal life together. I can't help but think that if Maya were to become evil, she'd be that sort of villain. Very true, Shinji's situation has forced him to mentally age rapidly, and Misato's been sort of jammed in neutral mentally because Second Impact. So on that level alone, they're very close to the same age, and have a great deal in common. And indeed, I think Misato is most capable of giving him the love he needs and deserves, and vice versa. Your suggestion for the Teen Brigade is funny, and don't worry, I do have some plans for straightening out Asuka eventually. As for Gendo's plans...I think we can safely say you're hearing something about them now.

Dantrag-tc, I'm glad you're enjoying these stories, and hopefully with the overhauls, they'll be even better. And I have had some people requesting that I give Shinji an upgrade of some kind.

Xardion, well, I can't help but think that you don't make the head of Section 2 by being sweet and loveable. Besides, because Chiron's a jerk, it makes it all that much more satisfying when bad things invariably happen to him. And, oh, yeah, some _definite_ possibilities to be had with making the ladies of Eva go to the dark side.

Gundam Kaizer, yeah, I decided to skip past those three Angels, and for a couple reasons. The battle with Gaghiel takes place at sea, so not only was I having trouble figuring out how She-Hulk could battle that thing without assistance, but also how she could suddenly hulk-out without somehow being noticed by everyone on the _Over the Rainbow._ Similar reasons are why I skipped past Israfel and Sandalphon. And as for Matariel...if Misato had suddenly hulked out there, she would have done so in a small elevator. With Kaji. Anyone willing to bet that the unshaven man would have wound up a stain in the process? As for those other hero possibilities...Bullseye is a villain, and I don't see what solo could do to an Angel.

Whew! I'm glad that's over! But before I move onto the omakes, I'd like to take a moment to thank marcosalazarm, who suggested them. Hope you enjoy!

Omake 1

"Alright, men," Chiron announced as he finished snapping the lightweight body armor on, "our target is Captain Maya Ibuki. She has been infected by the Angel that has invaded the base, and is to be considered extremely dangerous." Bristling somewhat at being forced to categorize a woman as such, the Section 2 head looked up at the men standing before him, all of them alert and ready for action. "Current intel indicates that she's attempting to escape from NERV, and perhaps the Geofront itself. Our objective is to terminate her before she can do so. With _extreme_ prejudice. Is that understood?"

"G-o-l-l-y, sir!" responded one of his men, a slack-jawed specimen with vacuous eyes. "Are you really sure that's necessary?"

Stung by the question, Chiron retorted, "Of _course _it's necessary, you blithering imbecile! Did you not hear me when I said that she's trying to escape?"

"Well, sure, I heard that part," the man in question answered. "But I don't see what all the hubbub is about. Why should we be worried about Ibuki, anyways? She's always struck me as a decent sort. Ain't that right?"

"Hmm...yeah, decent," another man responded around a loud, deep yawn. "And she don't yell much, either. Not like Katsuragi did.

"She sure don't have her figure though!" a third agent quipped, drawing a bunch of snickers from the others.

_"That's enough!"_ Chiron roared, silencing the insipid laughter. Shooting a lethal glare at the morons surrounding him, he brought his hand to his temple, struggled to suppress the urge to blow out their brainless heads. For a moment, he wondered what had possessed him to pick out _this _particular team before he reminded himself that they had a mixture of professionalism and foolishness that made them unstoppable on the field. And were all-too likely his best chance to bring Ibuki down.

With this in mind, he took several deep breathes, fighting down his temper before explaining, "As I've already told you, Ibuki has been _infected _by an Angel! And that means she's now as dangerous as they are!"

"Yeah, I - I heard you saying that part, sir," another moron commented, one eye narrowed at the Captain. "But how the heck did that happen, anyway? I sure didn't see no Angels down here. Did any of you?"

"Nope. Sure didn't," another imbecile agreed with a nod, his eyes covered over completely by his hair. "And how the heck would an Angel fit in here, anyway? Them things are _huge!"_

Practically feeling his blood pressure skyrocketing as the other morons seconded this assessment, Chiron brought his hand to his face, slowly sliding it down before roaring, "Listen to me, all of you. I don't care what you did or didn't see. I don't care if you think Ibuki is decent or a whore from hell! You! _Are!_ Going! To! _Kill! Her! _Or I promise, you, I'll make each and every one of you _eat _your damn guns! _Now is that clear?"_

The group of rejects from a mental ward glanced about at each other before one of them commented, "Hey, no need to get all personal, sir! We was just wondering, that's all!"

"Well, stop 'wondering' and _start _moving already! Before I _stop _being patient and _start_ blowing your heads off!" Chiron roared, completely out of patience. Then he glanced down at the floor, where one of the agents was apparently napping, and snarled, "And will one of you wake that idiot up? Before I personally make sure he _never _does?"

"Okay, okay now, Captain! You don't have to get all huffy about it," one of them told him. Then he knelt down next to the sleeping agent and told him, "Betta get a move on, Bailey. The Captain's in another one of his moods."

While the sleeping agent blearily pleaded for just five more minutes, Chiron raised his eyes to the ceiling and shook his head in dismay. _Why, why, oh _why _do _these _have to be the best men I've got? The _only _team that's _never_ failed a mission? And the only group I _can't _afford to just kill off and put out of my misery?_

Not for the first time, Chiron hoped that this would be the mission that either killed them off or gave him an excuse to do it himself before heading out. The best, the brave, and most incredibly stupid men he had ever had the misfortune of knowing moving a short distance behind him.

Omake 2

Closing his eyes, Gendo shut out the rest of the world, shut it out to give him the time he needed to regain mastery of his body. To take the pain he was in and push it off to the side where it wouldn't interfere with him. And as he did so, he found himself flashing back to simpler, brighter times, times when he had been known as Gendo Rokubungi. When he, Yui, and Fuyutsuki had been in college, with their futures shining brightly before them.

_Sensei..._ Gendo thought as he pictured himself back in Fuyutsuki's college classroom. The old professor looking at him, as if preparing himself for one of the many debates and arguments that they had had back in those times. _Except...there's no time for that now._

"On the contrary, I'd say we have plenty of time to talk," the Fuyutsuki in his mind replied with a knowing wink, seeming more like a man in his early thirties. "And it's been so long since we've have a nice, quiet conversation! What with you being so busy with your precious scenario! I would think that you could spend at least a few seconds for good old-fashioned chat."

Snorting at this, Gendo thought back, _And what would we chat about?_ Manic Pixie Dream Girl

"Oh, you know," Fuyutsuki replied, pursing his lips in s goofy manner as he arched his eyes upwards. "Old times...that nice little place on campus where you, me, and a certain Manic Pixie Dream Girl of ours would go to after school to knock back a few cold ones!" The more youthful version of the old professor let out a manical giggle at this. "I swear, I never thought Yui would've been able to put all that away if I hadn't seen it for myself!"

_Heh. I won't argue with you on that, sensei,_ Gendo thought, smiling as he thought back to some of the madcap incidents of their more youthful years. lost himself in this imaginary debate with the Fuyutsuki that had found his way into his mind. _But still, I don't have a lot of time right now. I still have an Angel to kill if I want to stay alive. And to once again hold Yui in my arms._

"Amongst _other _things," Fuyutsuki commented in a naughty tone. "True, Naoko and her daughter are excellent company in bed, but they just don't do that little dance that Yui did. You know, the one where she -?"

_Uh, sensei?_ Gendo winced, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his head. _No offense, but I'd _really _rather not talk about that right now._

"Right, of course," Fuyutsuki nodded understandingly. Then he shot his student a lustful grin and added, "We start into that, and you won't be able to concentrate on your work for hours. Not without a long, cold shower!"

_Right. And of course, that's the one thing I forgot to have installed in Terminal Dogma,_ Gendo confirmed, rolling his eyes at his own shortsightedness.

Omake 3

A giddy laugh slipping free of her lips, Misato continued to watch her body shift and change. Her feet slid across the floor as she continued to grow, finally running into the door. But she barely noticed it. She could barely notice anything as the change continued to hasten. The pain from the gunshot wound was gone, as was likely the wound itself, and as her body continued to jerk about, her every muscle seeming to dance on its own, Misato noticed something else dancing beneath her medical gown. _What the -?_ she wondered, her mind becoming more and more addled. _What are...?_

"Misato, talk to me!" Ritsuko cried out, breaking through the waves of power and pleasure that were cascading across the Major's mind. "Are you still with me?"

Her friend's voice breaking through, snapping Misato out of the pleasurable daze that was fogging her thoughts. "R-Rits!" she gasped out, again focusing on the control panel. "Aw, damn...keep talking! I - I -!"

"Of course! Just stay with me!" Ritsuko told her, urging her own. "Hold on for as long as you can, okay?"

"I-I'm trying, but...g-getting hard to th-think!" Misato reported as she stared stupidly at the front of her medical gown, where two huge mounts were rising up beneath the blue fabric. "Feels...feels so good...like I'm drunk...and...and...aw, _damn!"_

"What? What now?" Ritsuko demanded, caught between irritation and fear.

"Omigod! Would you l-look at these things?" Misato giggled uproariously as she realized what exactly was filling up the front of her shirt. "B-beach balls...for twin p-peaks!"

* * *

Meanwhile, on the bridge, the bulk of the crew there were watching as Ritsuko monitored Misato's transformation. Though in Fuyutsuki's mind, he somehow doubted that 'monitoring' was an accurate term for what the doctor was doing.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of this..." Ritsuko moaned lowly, just loud enough to be heard. The faux-blonde hunched over the data displays showing both the Major's transformation as captured by the hidden camera that was in the elevator, along with the more detailed analysis that showed Misato's musculature expanding, along with other aspects of her body. "Oh, yeah, that's it..."

As Ritsuko put one of her hands someplace where a someone ought not do so in public, Fuyutsuki turned towards the rest of the bridge crew, who were watching with a mix of fascination and embarrassment. "I guess the Doc..." Makoto began, sounding more than a little disturbed, "likes 'em big..."

"I wonder if Maya knows about this?" Chihiro wondered.

Glancing at her, Shigeru asked, "You think Maya did this on purpose? Got herself all pumped up because...?"

"It's no secret that she's a 'fan' of Dr. Akagi's," Chihiro remarked somewhat nervously.

"Oh, yes!" Ritsuko cried out, just a bit too enthusiastically. At which point the three bridge bunnies looked at each other, their cheeks reddening as they returned to their work.


	18. No Cure

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 18: No Cure

_"Noooo!"_ Shinji cried out helplessly as he tumbled helplessly through the air. The massive hole he, She-Hulk, and Maya had fallen through now little more than a pin prick he couldn't keep track of as he spun out of control.

_"Misato! Misato!"_ Shinji cried out in a panic, out of his mind with fear as he search for any sign of his emerald guardian in the darkness of the pit.

_"Shinji!"_ came She-Hulk's guttural roar, followed by further sounds of concern and fury. But there was no other sign of the savage she-beast, or her opponent. The 3rd Child couldn't even tell where either beast-woman was; the chasm he was falling through was like an immense echo chamber. And as he fell uncontrollably through the darkness, he couldn't tell up from down or left from right. Nor he could see how much further he had until he crashed down upon the floor; or whatever other solid surface lay waiting at the bottom.

_I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna -!_ Shinji thought feverishly, only to be cut off by a strange whooshing sound. Looking about towards the sound, the 3rd Child found himself looking up towards the hole he had fallen through, when he saw a figure diving towards him.

"Wh-what the -?!" Shinji blurted out…just as the figure caught up with him, and he felt something large and powerful clamp down about his waist…

* * *

_I need to join a gym,_ Ritsuko thought as she ran through the labyrinthine corridors of NERV.

Ritsuko really didn't think overly much of her physical condition, what with all the work the doctor did at NERV, the many projects regarding the Evangelions and the Angels that were in constant need of her attention. Work that didn't allow her the time to keep in top condition, and stress that had driven her to smoke quite a bit in order to keep what sanity she had. Combined with less than healthy foods that were easy to prepare and easy on her wallet, she tended to be grateful that she was as trim as she was.

At that moment, however, Ritsuko was cursing herself for ignoring her physical wellbeing. Her heart was pounding heavily and her lungs burning as she made her way up to join Shinji and the others. Her legs were already protesting and her feet sore from both the efforts and the dress shoes that looked pretty and professional, but were good for little else. Sweat rolled down her face as she held tightly to the labtop that was Maya's salvation.

_Who am I kidding? Who has time to join a gym with my schedule?_ Ritsuko grimaced, blinking away a few drops of sweat that had crawled into her yes. _Still…maybe I could whip some kind of health serum to whip me into shape. Super steroids with none of the nasty side effects. All the benefits of a gym, without having to spend hours a day sweating yourself to death._

It was an interesting notion in Ritsuko's mind, and one to be investigated when she wasn't in the middle of a crisis that could result in the death of a friend. So she shelved it for the time being and continued running as best as she could, turning down one of the corridors and running towards the elevator that was her immediate objective. Practically slamming into the wall, the doctor very nearly fell to the floor before she recovered, staggering about somewhat until she braced herself against the wall with her free hand. Taking advantage of this moment to heave breath after desperate breath, she shook her head clear of her exhaustion and pressed the call button for the elevator.

Taking advantage of this brief pause in her mad dash, Ritsuko heaved breath after deep breath, doing her best to recover and prepare for the next mad dash she would be making as soon as she reached her intended floor. Only to be jolted when a voice cried out over the PA system. "Dr. Akagi! We have a problem!"

"Huh?! What?!" Ritsuko started, looking about perplexedly, settling down when she recognized the voice. "I-is that you, Chihiro?! What is it?!"

"It's She-Hulk and Maya!" Chihiro fearfully reported. "They were fighting each other, and – Doctor, they bashed a hole in one of the equipment transport shafts! They fell into it!

Shock combined with exhaustion to prompt Ritsuko to gasp in horror. The Geofront was riddled with various tunnels and airshafts, all necessary for maintaining NERV's underground colony, as well as expediting weapons and equipment to the Evangelions when they battled in Tokyo-3. And if Misato and Maya had fallen into one of them…

"Where are they now?!" Ritsuko demanded.

"From what we can tell, it was Shaft 57C!" Chihiro reported. "But – Dr. Akagi…"

"Yes?" Ritsuko asked, a dread sensation rising up in response to the clear hesitation with which Chihiro spoke.

"It's Shinji," Chihiro finally informed her. "He…he fell in with them."

At this statement, Ritsuko's eyes went wide with horror. She knew the layout of NERV as well as any human being possibly could. She had been present for the construction of much of the current NERV complex, and had supervised the installation of much of the equipment used for both the Evangelions and their support equipment. So she knew that if Shinji had fallen into the shaft Chihiro referred to, then barring a minor miracle or intervention by one of the two she-beasts, than he was as good as dead.

_Oh, no…!_ Ritsuko thought, icy claws of dread clutching at her heart. While she wasn't especially close to Shinji, she did care about him, and felt that he was a good person. A far better one that one would expect the child of Gendo Ikari to be, and someone who didn't deserve such a fate.

But there was more to the doctor's reaction than simple compassion in this case. Shinji was presently the only person who could command Unit 01, their most powerful Evangelion, as well as the most uncontrollable. He was also their best pilot, and getting better all the time. Losing him would be devastating to their efforts to defeat the Angels.

_And if he's dead…and Misato finds out about it…!_ Ritsuko thought, her spine going rigid with fear. She knew of the lengths that She-Hulk was willing to go to in order to protect Shinji. All of Tokyo-3 had felt her wrath when she felt he had been imperiled before. If he died…

_No! Don't think about it!_ Ritsuko ordered herself, doing everything she could to take that fear and shove it someplace where she wouldn't have to deal with it then and there. _There's no way of knowing for sure what's happening until I see the situation for myself! Until then…all I can do is…what I can do._

With this thought in mind, Ritsuko demanded, "Get me Misato and Maya's exact locations! I'm heading to Level 2 now."

"Right away, Dr. Akagi," Chihiro replied just as the elevator arrived. Fresh urgency overriding her weariness, Ritsuko flung herself through the door, hurriedly pressing the buttons would send her to the proper level.

_Please, Shinji, don't be dead!_ Ritsuko thought as she rode down to her destination. _Because if you are…we might all die with you!_

* * *

_What an interesting game this is turning out to be,_ Gendo mused as he studied the rapid turns of events that was the battle between the transformed selves of Misato and Maya. _Who'd have thought such mindless beasts could prove so intriguing…?_

It was a battle that wasn't without its problems, of course. Gendo had suffered a pang when he had seen Shinji fall in with the mutated women, but as he continued to monitor the situation, he watched the 3rd Child be secured by one of the many pieces set into motion in this frenzied game of speed chess. As soon as he was satisfied that this vital piece of his scenario would soon be out of danger, he returned his attention to the two superhumans as they continued to tumble through Shaft 57C.

_Ibuki's new absorbing power…it's quite impressive,_ Gendo thought, considering what he had seen thus far. _She was able to siphon off Katsuragi's gamma energy, enough so that her color started to fade. Possibly a sign that she was beginning to revert to her human form._

"Yes, and as a result, Ibuki's strength is increasing considerably," came Fuyutsuki's voice within Gendo's mind. The Commander of NERV could practically see the old professor standing a short distance besides him with a knowing look on his face. "The longer this battle continues, the stronger she may become. Perhaps even strong enough to overcome Katsuragi."

_Perhaps,_ Gendo agreed with a slight nod. _But then, we still have no idea what her full limitations are. After all, her mutation is a result of a direct exposure to the power of Adam itself. A being that was power personified._

"True," the Fuyutsuki in his mind agreed. "And the tests we've run were rather ineffectual in determining her full capabilities." The illusory professor narrowed his eyes in a cunning manner. "Perhaps we should take advantage of the situation to put her to a _real _test."

_An excellent idea, sensei,_ Gendo thought with an air of amusement. _And how fortuitous that we have the perfect equipment in place to implement such a test._

At this, the illusory Fuyutsuki faded, allowing Gendo to focus on the only other living person present with him. "Activate the internal security systems, and prepare to deploy the Bakelite."

"Yes, sir," the girl nodded politely.

"Also, put me through to our units," Gendo continued, new plans and strategies rapidly taking shape in his mind. "I have something very special planned for our combatants. Something that should…stimulate them both nicely…"

* * *

_No, no, no, noooo!_ Misato wailed helplessly, trapped within the confines of her own transformed body as she continued to fall through empty space. Feeling as if she were caught up in a nightmare from which she simply couldn't wake up.

Ever since her She-Hulk persona had shoved her aside and taken control of their shared body, Misato had been helpless to do anything but watch, overwhelmed by the intense emotions that swirled about in her mind that had given life to her savage other. Just capable of staying conscious, staying alert and aware while her other self dominated her body, doing whatever she wanted with it. Clinging tenuously to the waking world, knowing that it would only take the tiniest slip on her part to cast her into unconsciousness.

In a way, it would have been preferable to her current situation. Misato found herself wishing that she could have been oblivious to the way her She-Hulk self had strove to kill Maya, to act out on her brutish hatred of the Angels and take them out on an innocent. Oblivious to the way to the way She-Hulk had sent both herself and Maya plunging into these depths. Oblivious to Shinji's frightened cries as he also…

_No, dammit, no!_ Misato thought, her own anger making it that much harder for her to hold on. _He – he can't be – I didn't really see him -!_

A sudden impact stunned Misato out of her thoughts, and very nearly sent her into the darkness. As she clung to awareness for dear life, she realized that the impact she had felt was She-Hulk hitting the bottom of the shaft they had fallen into. The next thing she became aware of was She-Hulk snarling her frustration, instantly shaking off the fall and leaping back to her feet. "Where Shinji?!" she demanded furiously. "Where Shinji go?!"

_That's what I want to know!_ Misato frowned, trying to glean as much information as she could as her other self looked wildly about, searching for any sign of her ward. They had landed in one of the horizontal tunnels leading to other transport shafts, that much was obvious. But it was too dark for her to make out any real details as to their location. She couldn't even see a number detailing their location.

"Ooorrgghh…" came a groan from somewhere behind the green Amazon. A sound that She-Hulk oriented on and whirled about to face. Whereupon she saw a dazed and confused Maya propping herself up by one hand as she tried to rise to her feet.

_"Angel!"_ She-Hulk roared savagely, her muscles bulging that more as her hatred mounted. "Where Shinji?!"

_Maya didn't have anything to do with what happened to Shinji, you lime-green idiot!_ Misato groaned from within. _You're the one who punched Maya so hard that you sent us all down that shaft! And as for Shinji…_ Pausing as She-Hulk again looked about, she considered what she had been able to see thus far._ I'm starting to think he didn't fall in with us after all! If he had, he would have landed nearby! But there's no sign of him!_

Unfortunately, Misato wasn't as certain of this as she would have liked. The tunnel they were in was dark, dark enough that she could have missed him while She-Hulk was whipping her gaze this way and that. And she wasn't going to get the chance to look any more, for Maya was rising to her feet, already recovered from the fall. Something She-Hulk didn't take well at all.

With a guttural roar of battle, the emerald destroyer charged forward, arms pumping and eyes narrowed with hatred. Maya had just enough time to cry out in dismay before She-Hulk closed into smashing range, delivering a devastating punch to her jaw that would have torn the head off of anything human. As it was, the mutated woman was sent tumbling through the air to crash into one of the walls, the force of her impact drilling her _through _solid metal.

_"Angel!"_ She-Hulk snarled, gathering her legs beneath her and launching herself after her foe.

_My legs! My body!_ Misato cried out in protest as her savage other leapt through the hole, smashing it even bigger in the process._ This is still _my_ body! Why can't I do anything with it?!_

Unconcerned by such questions, She-Hulk landed in the next tunnel, pausing just long enough to hurriedly scan her surroundings, searching for her foe. Only for Maya to find her first, launching her metal hand at the jade destroyer. An instant after the cold metal fingers wrapped about She-Hulk's neck, her body was jolted, followed by a strange lethargy spreading through her body as Maya siphoned off more of the jade giantess's gamma energy.

Her outrage spurred by this latest assault, as well as Maya's moans of ecstasy as fresh power filled her body, She-Hulk ripped the metallic hand off her neck. Turning to face her assailant, she crushed the hand in her implacable grasp while taking hold of the attached cable with her free hand and pulled hard on it. To her surprise, Maya responded to this tactic by leaping forward, going with the sudden yank and using it to rapidly close the distance between them.

_She's getting smarter. Or at least learning from her mistakes,_ Misato determined as Maya wrapped her arms and legs about She-Hulk, pinning her arms to her sides. Her metal hand having already rebuilt itself, she grabbed the emerald Amazon by the back of her head. Taking full advantage of this opportunity to siphon off even more power. _And she's definitely getting stronger! Shake her off, Greenie, before -!_

An outraged roar exploded from She-Hulk's throat, causing the air to ripple with emerald destruction. The Impact Roar slammed Maya full in the face, knocking her back enough so that her grip was loosened, allowing She-Hulk to effortlessly break free of the energy thief's arm lock. Raising her arms and swinging them forward, she slammed them against the sides of Maya's head, releasing a thunderous shockwave with her foe's brain at the epicenter. All but drowning out Maya's agonized shriek as she toppled to the floor, clutching the sides of her head as she curled up on the ground.

_"Smash!"_ She-Hulk snarled, taking full advantage of this opportunity. Grabbing hold of Maya's gauntleted right arm, she reared back with her free hand and drove her knuckles into the side of the mutant woman's head. Maya yelped in even greater pain, a cry that was repeated when the enraged gamma mutant struck again, and again. Smashing her foe in the face no matter how much Maya thrashed and cried out in protest.

_No…stop it! Noooo!_ Misato cried out, feeling everything as She-Hulk used her hand to slowly crush the EMF generator that was Maya's life support, her knuckles to mercilessly bludgeon her face, breaking her nose and shattering bone, only to grow even more furious when they miraculously healed after each strike. Ignoring her friends cries of pain and confusion as she tried to beat her to death. _Dammit, this is still _my _body! There _has _to be _some_ way of stopping her!_

Thinking feverishly, Misato strove to think of something, anything she could do to deter her bestial other. Only to be distracted from her thoughts when the Maya's metal hand launched from her wrist, trailing a cable behind it. A second later, Maya shot up and away from the ground, using her line to try and pull free from She-Hulk. Unfortunately for her, the enraged titan would not surrender her grip so easily, and was promptly pulled off her feet and dragged along for the ride.

Snarling her outrage, She-Hulk tightened her grip on the gauntlet, crushing it even more as she flailed about, searching for an additional handhold. Made even more difficult by Maya's thrashing about, kicking wildly and shoving at She-Hulk's face with her free hand.

_Maya's not a fighter. She has no training in hand-to-hand, and its showing right now,_ Misato thought, trying to better analyze the situation. _She's panicking, but…is she trying to get away so she can get in a better position to grab more energy, or is she just trying to get away now? _There was no way of knowing. All Misato could really be certain of was that Maya's absorbing power depending on her metal hand. If she could drain energy using the bulk of the generator or any other part of her body, she'd have done it by now. _So we could stop her if we put her hand out of action, but how do I get Greenie to -?!_

She-Hulk found her other handhold, in the form of Maya's face. The jade nightmare snarled triumphantly as she wrapped her monstrous fingers about the other woman's cheek bones, clenching at her hard enough to grind normal human bones into powder, and pulled herself closer. But the life leech refused to submit, grabbing her antagonist by the wrist. With a growl of effort, Maya was able to push the hand off her face, not much, but enough to reposition it so that she could open her mouth and bite down. Hard.

_Ouch!_ Misato thought as She-Hulk screeched in hatred. _Maya must be pretty close to Greenie's power level, because that _definitely _hurts!_

The outraged Gammazon responded to this attack instinctively, struggling to withdraw her injured had while tightening her grip on the gauntlet. Grunting around a mouthful of She-Hulk's hand, Maya drew her legs in, trying to brace her feet against her attacker's abdomen. She was too close to effectively kick, but she was able to push her a bit further away. A low growl of outrage sounding in her throat, She-Hulk took a deep breath.

_Oh, no!_ Misato cried out, realizing what her other self was about to do. _Not now, you stupid -!_

She-Hulk roared, releasing a green shockwave from her mouth into her foe. The Impact Roar slammed into Maya hard, and as a result, the two of them were pushed apart, the emerald Amazon flung to the side by the force of her own attack, with only her grip on her foe's gauntlet stopping Maya from escaping entirely. A situation that Maya was quick to address as she grabbed She-Hulk's wrist, and with a cry of pain and desperation, wrenched it free of the generator. Leaving the emerald savage with nothing to show for her efforts but some crushed metal plating in her hand.

_Dammit!_ Misato swore as she watched Maya shoot further away from She-Hulk, unencumbered by her mass and the damage to the generator mending as the nanites rebuilt the exterior. Whole once more and with a safe distance between herself and her aggressor, Maya released her hold on the ceiling and fell back to the floor. Landing in a crouch, she held up her metallic hand, her eyes filled with need as she glared at She-Hulk.

_Looks like she's still hungry!_ Misato thought as She-Hulk stared furiously at her foe, curling her arms before her and roaring in challenge. _The nanites haven't recovered yet, so she still needs more power! And with Greenie being a walking nuclear reactor and Angelic power source all wrapped up in one, she's probably tastes like sweet wine to those nanites! So she won't go after anybody or anything else until the Angel recovers, but -!_

A sudden hissing sound pricked She-Hulk's ears. _What's that noise?_ Misato wondered while both She-Hulk and Maya frowned and looked about, searching for the source. But it wasn't until her bestial other looked up at the ceiling and saw several nozzles situated in the ceiling that the Major groaned, _Aw, no…don't tell me…!_

An instant later, sprays of red fluid erupted from each nozzles. Covering any surface in sight with the crimson gel, including the two combatants. _Bakelite!_ Misato cried out, watching as the liquid polymer reacted to the body heat of both women, already hardening even as the sound of metal slamming against metal was heard. Partition gates closing off the section of the tunnel they were in, creating a space the Bakelite could fill. A substance that, once hardened in sufficient quantities, was strong enough even to stop a rampaging Evangelion. _Dammit, no!_

Snarling her disgust at the spray, She-Hulk raised her arm to shield her face from the Bakelite. Only to growl in confusion when she noticed her movements stiffening as the spray hardened, with Maya reacting in a similar fashion. _We have to get out of here!_ Misato ordered her brutish other self. The green beast growled, flexing her muscles beneath the hardening polymer, causing it to crack and break apart even as more rained down on her. _If we stay here, we'll be trapped like bugs in amber! We have to grab Maya and get the hell outta – wha -?!_

With a savage grunt, She-Hulk leapt over to Maya, who was already coated head-to-toe with Bakelite, and wrapped her massive arm about her more slender frame. Lifting the mutant woman up off her feet, the enraged gammazon then leapt up towards the ceiling, firing a punch with her free hand. To Misato's awe, her other self smashed her way through the ceiling and leapt into another chamber altogether. _Looks like a maintenance tunnel,_ Misato thought as she dumped Maya on the floor of the dusty, dingy surroundings, recalling Shinji's tale of how Asuka had gotten him and Rei lost in them during the blackout. _I just hope that there isn't any Bakelite sprays in here, and that we can get this stuff off Maya without -!_

A sudden punch to She-Hulk's jaw cut Misato's chain of thought off, sending the jade destroyer flying down the tunnel to come crashing down to the floor. Roaring in protest at this unexpected affront, She-Hulk looked about for the source of the strike, only to grunt her surprise while Misato gaped.

Maya was still covered in hardening Bakelite, but as She-Hulk looked on, quantities of her polymer coating sank into her skin, hair, even the generator, all of which were transforming. Taking on the same color and texture as the Bakelite that had been sprayed on them both. _Crap, I forgot! Ritsuko warned me about this!_ Misato thought, cursing herself for overlooking this. _She might need her generator to feed on _energy_, but she can absorb things like metal through her skin!_

As this thought ran its course, Misato saw more of the Bakelite falling away from Maya, whatever process her absorption ability utilized loosening the remainder of the polymer enough to allow her to regain her full mobility. _Too bad Greenie can't say the same thing!_ the Major thought as She-Hulk struggled to rise to her feet, only to find herself impeded. In the short time she had been exposed to the sprays, a large amount of Bakelite had accumulated on her body and the tattered medical gown she still wore, and it had hardened about her. Her face was mostly uncovered, but virtually every other part of her body had coated with a few inches of the restrictive substance.

It wouldn't stop She-Hulk for long, Misato knew. The savage she-beast was already thrashing about furiously as she fought her way to her feet, cracking and crushing the hardened polymer in the process. A few seconds would be all she needed to be completely free. But those were seconds that she didn't have, for over the din of the gamma Amazon's struggles, Misato detected a cry of anticipation. Startled from her struggles, She-Hulk looked up to see her now crimson foe was bearing down upon her.

The She-Hulk mentality was confused, distracted, trying to deal with both the hardened Bakelite and the approaching foe at the same time, something she simply wasn't capable of doing. _Smash red rocks! Smash Angel!_ were the two conflicting impulses shooting through her mind as she sat up. _Smash red rocks! Smash Angel!_ Maya closed in moments away from grabbing her with metal hand. _Smash red rocks! Smash Angel! _But there wasn't enough time to do both, less than a second left. _Smash -!_

The crimson mutant came within reach, stretching out with right hand. Grinning eagerly at the prospect of draining more energy.

_Smash -!_

Only for her grin to falter when She-Hulk caught her by the wrist.

"No, you – don't!" the emerald superwoman snarled, her right arm just free enough to move with the practiced ease of much combat training. In a move that would have been impossible for a normal human being, she turned Maya's own momentum against her, flinging her overhead and sending her flying down the corridor. The crimson woman cried out in confusion as she tumbled through the air..

Except it wasn't She-Hulk that was responsible.

It had happened so quickly, so suddenly, that Misato didn't realize at first the significance of what was happening. It had been so simple, so natural, a combination of the result of her combat training and well-honed instinct. But as she fought her way to her feet, shattering much of the Bakelite, she realized that it had been _her _will that prompted her body to do these things, not She-Hulk. That when she turned to face Maya, who was already scrabbling about to regain her feet, she realized that it had been _her _that had turned, not the savage within. _No way…!_ she gasped inwardly as she looking down at herself, watching as _she _flexed her arms, breaking off more of the Bakelite. As s_he _stepped closer to her downed foe, watching for any sign of hostile movement. _Is this – can it be -?!_

Even as she realized that it could and in fact was, someone else realized what had happened. _No!_ came an outraged voice inside the mind in which they both lived within. A voice Misato immediately recognized as that of her savage other. _No, noooo!_

"Oh...yes!" Misato grinned aloud even as her other self began clawing at her, trying to regain control of their shared body. "I don't…know…how it happened…!" she declared aloud, moving her lips and using her voice for no other reason than she could again. Grabbing hold of her caked over medical gown and shattering it, ridding her of the last of the obstructive Bakelite as she took a battle-ready stance. "But…_I'm _back…in the…driver's seat!"

_Nooooo!_ She-Hulk snarled hatefully. _Let She-Hulk out! Want to smash! Smash Angel!_

"We've been…doing it your…way, Greenie! And it's…gotten us…nowhere!" Misato declared as Maya again rose up to her feet, looking uncertainly at her foe. "Now it's…_my_ turn!"

The She-Hulk mentality was furious at this loss of control, just as Misato had been before, and responded with all the fury and hatred that was at her command. But the woman that had worked long and hard to cultivate the discipline that was one of the reasons she was NERV's Director of Operations would not give into it, not now, not after all the damage that savage, primitive aspect of herself had done to her efforts to save her friend. No matter how that other part of her roared and bellowed, no matter how her body jerked about, trying to act on ancient instinct and her base emotions, Misato stayed focused, stayed in control. Not allowing her other self an opening.

"Now, Maya…here's how it is…" Misato stated in She-Hulk's voice, narrowing her eyes and tensing herself for what was to come. Refusing to give either adversary an opening. "You either surrender…or I _make _you…surrender…for your own…good!"

Unsurprisingly, the crimson woman responded to this as her jade counterpart would; brutally. Holding up her right hand, she morphed it into its morningstar shape and launched it squarely at her target. _That didn't work on She-Hulk, Maya!_ Misato thought as she charged forward, ducking beneath the incoming projectile, letting it pass harmlessly overhead. _And it isn't working on me!_

Straightening up even as she ran, Misato reached up and grabbed the cable. Even as Maya started to retract the morningstar, the emerald Major put on an additional burst of speed, leaping into her mutated friend, firing her knee directly into her jaw. Sent shooting up from the blow, Maya crashed through the roof of the tunnel, flying halfway into another section of NERV before Misato pulled hard on the cable, yanking her back down. Flailing about in pain and confusion, the crimson mutant fell down on her ass with an indignant squawk. Not losing a moment, the jade Amazon pounced on her transformed friend, grabbing her by her shoulder and forcing her about so that she was facing down.

_Smash her! Smash Angel!_ the She-Hulk persona demanded, but Misato fought off those urges. Even as her other self demanded that she clench her hands into fists, hands the shuddered as the Major fought off these urges, she grabbed Maya's forearms and pinned them behind her back while placing one of her feet down upon her back. The crimson mutant resisted, fighting back with all her considerable strength, but Misato fought back with all the power that normally was She-Hulk's to command, and there simply was no comparison. Still, Maya continued to thrash about as best as she retracted her morningstar.

"Not – happening!" Misato declared as she wrapped her left arm about both of Maya's, making certain to keep them pinned, not give her a chance to free herself. As she did so, she yanked hard on the cable linking the morningstar to her forearm, hoping that she would draw out more of the line instead of just snapping it.

Fortunately, it seemed that the Angel wasn't in the mood to lose any more of its substance. The cable stretched out nicely, allowing Misato to begin wrapping it about her forearms. Once she had enough loops in place, she pulled the cable taut, making certain that Maya's arms would remained pinned as she continued to truss her up, all the while remaining cautious to avoid the metallic end in whatever form it might take. "Not a…bad job…huh, Maya?" the gamma mutant declared as she continued her labors, denying her transformed friend any chance to escape or to drain more of her power. "Wrestling two…bulls…at once. And to think…this is my…first actual…rodeo!"

* * *

_Not a bad job at all, Major,_ Gendo agreed. Watching and listening through the eyes and ears he had sent after them. _It would seem that the old adage of brains over brawn has proven quite apt. Wouldn't you agree, sensei?_

"I would indeed, Ikari," concurred the Fuyutsuki in his mind, nodding his approval. "Though brains working in tandem with brawn is better than either one alone." Then he cocked his head to the side, a thoughtful smile on his aged face. "I am curious as to how the Major was able to reassert her control over She-Hulk's body."

_Humans are complicated and sinful creatures, sensei,_ Gendo replied with a thoughtful look. _There are any number of things that could have caused the change in power._

"True. But it would make sense to learn what those things are, and what came into play here." His eyes narrowing with cunning, the inner Fuyutsuki went on to elaborate with, "After all, the better you understand the people and the forces around you, the better you can use them to your advantage."

_A valid point,_ Gendo thought, tempted to lose himself in this dialogue, imaginary as it might be. More and more, it reminded him of debates and discussions he had had with Fuyutsuki back in college, as well as other, more pleasant times. Times when he and the old professor had not been alone in their debates. _Which brings me to another matter. Now that Katsuragi has subdued Ibuki, what shall we do with them both?_

"Good question, Ikari," Fuyutsuki admitted with a nod. "We could allow the Major to carry Ibuki back up to the base proper for treatment. See if Dr. Akagi's reprogramming of the nanites proves to be as effective as she seems to think it will be."

_That's one possibility,_ Gendo nodded, _And it's certainly the least risky one. Minimal risk of imperiling the scenario._

"There is that," Fuyutsuki concurred. "However, we still haven't seen what either woman is capable of. And with the bulk of the Angel subdued, it would be a waste of an opportunity."

_Especially after setting everything in place to truly test their abilities, as well as secure new power for myself,_ Gendo agreed, a devious curl twisting his lips.

"And it seems to me that, after all our setbacks to date, it would be in your best interests to try and…take advantage of what's happening here," Fuyutsuki continued with a dangerous air to his voice. "Take what's happened here and turn it to your benefit."

_Agreed,_ Gendo thought, pausing to mop a bead of sweat from his brow. _However, implementing these tests would be far more difficult with Katsuragi again in control of her faculties._

"Since when is anything truly worth doing ever easy, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki inquired in a knowing manner. "And when has any step in your scenario ever been what anybody would call easy?"

As was often in matters such as this, Fuyutsuki was correct. Even if he was only a manifestation of his inner thoughts, the old professor was an invaluable source of wisdom. The scenario Gendo had planned was a decade in the making, and had been fraught with difficulties. So many problems, and so many failures, and yet the Commander of NERV had dealt with them, adapted to the many situations he had been thrown into, and overcome them all. Just as he would overcome the potential threats posed by She-Hulk, Spirit, and so many others.

_Very true,_ Gendo admitted as he continued to study the situation unfolding before him. _And I believe I have the perfect means to separate them._ With this, the illusory Fuyutsuki faded to the side, allowing the Commander to focus on the girl nearby. "Has Captain Chiron recovered from his encounter with She-Hulk?"

"No, sir," the girl replied.

Nodding to his, Gendo frowned, knowing that he would have to make do with what he had. "Put me through to his team. And have our units readied." Then he smiled cruelly before adding, "And make sure that the 3rd Child is made ready for his part in this."

"Yes, sir," the girl replied as Gendo sat back, again mopping his brow.

_Environmental controls must be malfunctioning,_ Gendo decided, not allowing this to distract him from his plans. _I'll have to look at them later._

* * *

The first thing Shinji became aware of as he slowly regained consciousness was a light breeze rustling through his hair.

_Huh…wh-what…?_ Shinji thought as he clawed his way back to the waking world. Assisted by the gentle breeze he felt, as well as a quiet, rhythmic whooshing. His eyes fluttering open, providing him with nothing but a blurry silhouette nearby, like someone looking at him. _Misato…where is…is that…?_

The wind continued to breeze past, the whooshing continued with the regularity of a metronome. And as the sound continued, Shinji saw something else, something rising and falling in the background. He couldn't make out what they were in the low light and his eyes not yet recovered enough to be dependable, but…

"S…Spirit…?" Shinji groaned out. "Is…that…?"

The head changed orientation, as if it were going from looking away to looking at him. An instant later, Shinji's eyes shut as he fell once more into the world of the unconsciousness.

* * *

"I hate – Bakelite," Misato grumbled as she marched through the maintenance tunnels of NERV.

It had only been a few minutes since the jade giantess had succeeded in thoroughly trussing Maya up, at least enough so that her hands were completely bound and her weaponized right hand bound and embedded in the cable so completely that it put the Gordian Knot to shame. Leaving the crimson mutant with little option but to thrash with her legs as Misato carried her slung over her shoulder. With her right arm occupied with keeping Maya from escaping, this left the Major with her left hand free, something she took advantage of by massaging her hair, crushing the Bakelite that hung from it in clumps.

_Stupid red rocks!_ her She-Hulk mentality chimed in as Misato crushed another lump of hardened polymer, grinding it to dust and letting fall from her hair.

_Definitely,_ Misato chimed in as she continued in her efforts. _That's why I'm smashing them._

The She-Hulk persona seemed satisfied with this, which was of considerable relief to Misato. Ever since she had retaken control of her body from her other self, that brutish manifestation of her most primal, primitive, instinctual self had struggled and fought to once again shove Misato's mind out of its way and take back her physical form. It was unrelenting and unutterably determined in its attempts to do so.

But at the same time, Misato was having a somewhat easier time in keeping her more wrathful self at bay. She still had to maintain her guard, couldn't allow herself to truly relax, but at the same time, her other self didn't seem as effective in its efforts to overcome her. Like it was lacking something critical, some form of motivation.

_Then again, that might exactly be the case,_ Misato realized even as her other self continued to try to overcome her. _She-Hulk wanted control because she wanted to smash the Angel. But Maya's down and all tied up now. The enemy's already been dealt with._ As the woman in question thrashed a bit more, the emerald Amazon narrowed her eyes in annoyance._ Maybe not killed, but she's definitely not in a position to fight anymore._

And the more Misato considered this, the more sense it made. The She-Hulk mentality was primitive, based on simple emotions and base instincts. With her enemy already defeated, there wasn't as much to motivate her into seizing control as there had been when Maya had been freely moving about, an active threat to herself and Shinji.

Even as she thought this, Maya grunted and again tried to squirm free of Misato's grip. _Stupid Angel!_ the She-Hulk mentality snarled in disgust. _Should have smashed!_

Wincing at this bit of resistance on Maya's part sparked some extra fight in her other self, Misato thought quickly to come up with an argument that could get her to ease off. _We've already wasted too much time on her,_ she finally told her She-Hulk self. _Right now, I'm more concerned about what happened to Shinji when we got dumped in that hole._

Not bothering to mention that she still held her brutish other responsible for that occurrence, Misato listened as She-Hulk replied with, _Shinji…where Shinji? What happened to Shinji?!_

_I don't know…yet!_ Misato returned, shuddering as her own argument stirred her inner beast's anger and concern, stoked the fires that were her strength. _That's why I couldn't waste time on Maya. I had to wrap her up quickly; so we can get back up top and go find Shinji._

_Smash way up!_ the She-Hulk persona eagerly suggested. _Get back faster, find Shinji faster!_

Misato's initial response was to scowl at her other self's one-track mind. But even as she did so, she had to admit that her She-Hulk persona had a valid point. Smashing her way upwards would certainly be a much faster method of getting out of the service tunnels and back into the Geofront proper. _But I can't just leap up there in one shot. Not when I might come up from under someone._ Then Misato scowled, _On the other hand…I don't want to go through what Shinji and the others did, wandering around down here for hours! Not when I have to take care of Maya, and find Shinji!_ Pressing her lips into an uneasy frown, the emerald Amazon stopped crushing the Bakelite in her hair and held up her left hand, balling it up into a fist. _Still…if I bash my way up one floor at a time, and I'm careful about it, that should be alright._ Then she looked up at the ceiling, which was just inches away. _And it's not like I'll have a hard time reaching the next floor, even with Maya._

At this, the She-Hulk mentality growled her approval, apparently sensing that Misato would be heeding her will. _Yeah, well, don't get used to it, Greenie,_ the Major grumbled as she reared back with her fist. _Now, let's see…where should I – huh?!_

Something else was registering in Misato's mind. Another sensation of danger, of destructive power. The same toxic feeling that she had sensed from before, that Maya now generated. _But – wait!_ she thought, her eyes widening as her captive let out a low gasp, then began to thrash much more furiously in her grip. _It's not coming from Maya! It's from somewhere else, back…behind me?! What the -?!_

_Angel!_ the She-Hulk mentality snarled, her voice rife with hatred once again. The pressure it exerted on Misato's mind increasing tremendously even as Maya continued to squirm, forcing her captor to lower her enough so as to be able to take hold of her with both arms. _Smash! Smash Angel!_

"Oh – damn!" Misato groaned, wishing she could spare a hand to massage her forehead. The deadly dangerous sensation that she was sensing had served as a perfect wakeup call for her other self, spurring her back to full force. But of even greater concern was the growing sensation she detected. A sensation that could come only from another Angel. "What – now?!" Gritting her teeth and growling deep in her throat, Misato clamped down on herself, resisting the urges of herself. Fighting back against the impulse to follow the sensation like a siren song, struggling to keep her reinvigorated other self at bay. All the while making certain that her grip on her captive was secure.

_But what could be causing it?!_ Misato demanded of herself. _It can't be Spirit; there's no way she'd come down here with Gendo having a permanent bull's-eye on her! And as for the rest of the Angel…!_ Frowning as she struggled to think properly around the battering of her other self, she analyzed the situation. Ritsuko and the others had neutralized the bulk of the Angel, forcing it to work as one with the MAGI, rendering it harmless. _Could a part of it still be active?! Possessed someone else, or -?!_

The sound of approaching footsteps sounded through the tunnels. She-Hulk interpreted it as a new enemy approaching, their body tensing in readiness for battle. But then Misato noticed that the sound was coming from the opposite direction of the new Angelic power she was sensing, and barely managed to restrain herself, making certain to keep hold of her prisoner. "Damn – it!" she snarled aloud, not in the mood for any further complications. "What – the -?!"

It wasn't long before Misato got her answer. In a matter of seconds, armed and armored Section 2 troops spilled into view, filling the cramped maintenance tunnel. And to her considerable annoyance, each and every one of them fell into a firing position, cocking their weapons and aiming everything from automatic rifles to missile launchers at her and Maya. "Commander Ikari, we've located She-Hulk and Ibuki!" one of the Section 2 idiots declared. "Awaiting your orders, sir!"

Groaning irritably, Misato held up one of her hands to them. "Before you – bastards – do something – stupid – tell Commander Ikari – that I'm – back in – control!" she announced in a halting manner, taking solace in the fact that at least there was no sign of Chiron. Making it just a bit more feasible that she would be able to talk some sense into these idiots. "And - as you can – see yourselves – I've got Maya, so -!"

"Sorry, Major Katsuragi," replied the Section 2 man who was apparently standing in for Chiron. "But Commander Ikari has given us direct orders! We are to secure Captain Ibuki and escort her outside of the Geofront to be disposed of!"

Bristling in rage at this, rage that only served to further fuel her inner beast, Misato just barely clamped down upon her anger in time to keep the She-Hulk mentality in check. "Tell – Commander – we don't – have – to – kill – Maya! Ritsuko – she -!"

The sound of a rocket being fired echoed through the cramped maintenance tunnels. Misato didn't even see where it was coming from, let alone who had fired from. All she had time to do was turn to see something explode right in her face, blinding her and leaving her temporarily deafened. "Grrarrgh!" she snarled as she tottered backwards, acting on pure instinct, bringing her hands to her eyes, trying to wipe them clear. "Stupid -!"

_No! Wrong move, idiot!_ Misato cried out, knowing from experience what was about to happen. Already sensing another part of her moving in, shoving away at her conscious mind. _Don't let her take over again! Focus on Maya!_ Clamping down with all her strength, doing everything she could to override millions of years of evolution and instinct, she forced down her hands. _Focus on the ANGEL!_

_Angel?!_ the She-Hulk persona growled at this thought, caught between her instinctual reaction at being attacked and her absolute, seething hatred for the Angels. Caught between two responses, too distracted to once again assume control, the primal personality instead lent Misato her quickness in turning about to look towards the Angelic energy that was generated from Maya. The mutant woman, having apparently landed on her feet when Misato had instinctively released her, had taken full advantage of the situation and was now running away as fast as was possible. _Angel!_

_"Angel!"_ came She-Hulk's voice, tearing free of Misato's lips. _"She-Hulk sm-!"_

_Not now, stupid!_ Misato countered, clamping her hand over her mouth and balling up her free hand as she struggled to rebuff her other self. Wishing as never before that she was like Spirit, and didn't have to share space in her mind with a braindead beast that existed solely for smashing things. Heaving a deep breath, she turned to glare hatefully at the Section 2 men. Deciding to give vent to some of her rage, she stepped forward to grab the weapons from the hands of two of the agents. "You – back – up top – _now!"_ she told them, her words closer to incoherent snarls than intelligible speech. Placing the pilfered firearms between her hands, she wadded them together with all the ease of crushing a newspaper, and compressed them into a tiny little ball that she let drop before her. Watching in satisfaction as the Section 2 morons looked from it to her face, paling a bit as they did. "Screw up – again – and – She-Hulk _will _smash! Got – that?!"

_"Yes, sir!"_ the Section 2 idiots replied in unison.

Not wasting time to watch them make lemonade in their pants, Misato turned and started in the direction that Maya had gone in. _Should smash stupid men in black!_ her She-Hulk self muttered hatefully. _Should smash Angel!_

_We don't have time to waste on those idiots right now! _Misato countered as she ran full out, already out of view of the Section 2 screw-ups. _Later, smashing them _will_ be an option! But right now, we -!_

The Angelic energy vanished.

Once again, Misato was staggered with surprise, with her She-Hulk self even more astonished. The both of them both staggered with shock that they ground to a halt, unable to believe what their shared senses were telling them.

The energy generated by Maya had simply disappeared. Along with the other source of Angelic power that she had sensed.

_Where Angel?!_ She-Hulk demanded. Utterly flattened with confusion.

"That's what – I want – to know!" Misato growled as she swung her emerald irises this way and that.

* * *

"Captain Ibuki has been secured, sir," the girl assisting Gendo informed him. "The FLS cloak is apparently functional. Her red/blue pattern is now hidden."

"Excellent," Gendo mused thoughtfully, ignoring the fresh sweat that was rolling down his brow. The heat was steadily rising, but the Commander did his best to ignore it, to not repeat the sign of weakness he had shown when he had mopped his face before. Environmental controls malfunctioning or not, in the company of the entire bridge crew or alone with one of his creations, he refused to demonstrate any physical frailty. "Have our units take her to a secure location. When I give the word, they are to allow Ibuki to feed upon them. But make certain that at least one of them keeps her distance; we don't know how much they will be impaired by the feeding process, and I need at least one functional unit at the ready at all times."

"Yes, sir," the girl replied, showing no sign of distress, doing nothing to protest an action that could quite possibly result in the death of at least four of his creations.

They could be replaced. Gendo could easily make more. It would take time, but he _would _make more.

"I want a detailed record of Ibuki's feeding. Its full effects on both her and her target's physiology. Everything we can learn about it," Gendo continued, determined to take full advantage of this latest wrinkle in his scenario. "Judging from what I've seen so far, it may be possible to weaponize the process, enable other Genesis subjects to take advantage of it."

As this statement hung in the air, a quiet beeping sound was heard. "Commander," the girl began, "Section 2 is calling in with a report."

"Put them through," Gendo responded.

A beat passed before Gendo's demand was made reality. "Commander Ikari, this is Agent Sato reporting in, sir," came the voice of the Section 2 man he had spoken with before. "Sir, we have a problem. We intercepted the targets, but…Katsuragi had already subdued Ibuki."

"Was she still alive?" Gendo asked in a bored fashion. Deliberately giving the impression that his information wasn't as good as it was.

"Yes, sir. And – we told Katsuragi that you had ordered us to secure Ibuki for disposal, but - !" Agent Sato hesitated before going on to say, "Sir, something happened when we confronted them. Someone fired an RPG at Katsuragi, and Ibuki was able to get free."

"Are you telling me that you allowed Ibuki to escape?" Gendo wondered in a voice of low menace.

"N-no! I mean, she got away, but – it wasn't us, sir!" Agent Sato hurriedly explained. "After the – incident, we checked all ordinances. None of us fired that grenade, sir!" A beat passed as the agent swallowed a deep breath. "Sir, I think there's someone else in here. I know it sounds crazy, sir, but there _has_ to be someone else in here! In the maintenance tunnels with us!"

"You're right, Agent Sato," Gendo dispassionately declared. "It not only sounds crazy, but like a pitiful excuse for – _arrghh!"_

"Commander?" came Agent Sato's voice. Something that barely registered with Gendo as he again clutched at his right wrist.

The pain. The injuries he had suffered from Maya's mace, and even worse, the wound the Rhino had inflicted upon him. These things had been steadily growing worse, but this sudden spear of agony that now shot from his right arm through the rest of Gendo's body was far worse than anything he had endured before now. Unlike anything he had ever felt in a life filled with sin and pain.

As the girl that was his sole living companion in this room at the heart of NERV looked on in silence, Agent Sato demanded, "Commander, what is it?! Is something wrong?!"

Heaving breath after agonized breath as he once again forced this fresh pain from the forefront of his mind and into the background where it belonged, Gendo narrowed his eyes and shot back, "The only thing wrong…is your own blundering." Taking a few more breathes as he regained control of himself, the Commander of NERV finally released his wound. "I will deal with your…incompetence later. For now…proceed to the following coordinates. We have reason to believe that Ibuki is heading in that direction, and I want you to be ready to intercept her."

"Yes, sir!" Agent Sato replied, crisp and military.

Quickly feeding the Section 2 team the required location, Gendo then cut the signal and sat back in his seat. More drained than he could ever admit from his latest bout of agony.

"Sir…" the girl began with a somewhat querulous expression. "The coordinates you gave them…that it is where the other units are proceeding with Ibuki."

"That is correct," Gendo nodded, more sweat streaming down his face. "Agent Sato and his people are aware of an additional presence within in the tunnels. They cannot be allowed to spread word of this."

"Really?" came a familiar voice in Gendo's mind. Once again, the Fuyutsuki that lived in there, the old professor from his days in college was looking at him with a look of curiosity in his eyes. "What about Katsuragi? She was there as well."

"But she was distracted, and more importantly, in her She-Hulk form. Her perceptions cannot be trusted in that state. Even she will be forced to admit that," Gendo replied. "Agent Sato and his men are a different matter. And I cannot afford to risk people spreading suspicions about something hiding in the tunnels around the base." Clenching his gloved right hand, putting his pain where it belonged, the Commander furrowed his brows before adopting his more traditional pose. "Notify our units. When Section 2 arrives at their location, I want the agents to be killed as quickly as possible." A beat passed before Gendo added, "No ordinance or ranged attacks, though. I want the Section 2 people killed by hand, as brutally as possible."

As the girl nodded her understanding, Fuyutsuki again appeared from within the confines of Gendo's mind. "You realize, of course, that you are sacrificing…what, half of Chiron's best team?"

_I know,_ Gendo inwardly responded. _That's why I only sent _half _of his team in after Katsuragi._

"You were planning on sacrificing them right along, weren't you?" Fuyutsuki asked, speaking in a way that made it clear that he wasn't asking a question.

_Of course I was,_ Gendo retorted with a slight smile curling the corner of his lip. _Section 2 has proven to be utterly useless in dealing with these superhuman menaces. They've suffered losses, been trampled underfoot…it's pathetic._ Shaking his head slowly at the miserable spectacles that were Section 2's laughable attempts in dealing with these half-Angel freaks. _They're obsolete, sensei. But I can still make use of them…as fodder for Genesis._

"Their souls, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki spoke. Again, it wasn't a question.

_Their souls,_ Gendo confirmed, smiling knowingly. _Angelic DNA…we can experiment with it, we can shape it any number of ways, but our attempts at cloning it result in lifeless shells…unless we make a sacrifice to breathe life into them._

"True. The children of Adam and Lilith…they are so very different, Ikari," Fuyutsuki nodded. "And I trust that's why you are luring them to Ibuki's location?"

_Of course. I can't have Section 2's slaughter go without someone to place the blame upon. And in the event that Ibuki _does _survive this…it will make her so much more malleable in the future,_ Gendo nodded, schemes and manipulations taking shape in his mind. _Which reminds me…since Dr. Akagi is so preoccupied with trying to track down Ibuki and the others, I should take full advantage of her…distraction._

As Gendo began to work at his station, initiating a wireless connection to the laptop Ritsuko carried, Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow. "I hope you have something planned for when Katsuragi discovers what you've…set up for her," the old professor admonished him. "Knowing her as we do, she'll be liable to bring the entire Geofront crashing down upon our ears if we don't find some way of getting her out into the city."

_I've already considered that, sensei,_ Gendo nodded as he began typing furiously. _But I've made arrangements to –_

Another blast of pain shrieked through Gendo's mind, twice as bad as the one that preceded it. It was all the Commander of NERV could do not to fall out of his seat as he cried out in sheer agony, his left hand again wrapping about the wound left by Rhino's horn. "Sir?!" the girl cried out, showing more alarm in her voice in that moment than she had since the day of her Genesis. "Sir, what is wrong?!"

Gendo couldn't answer. He was too busy clamping down, fighting back to regain control of his body, to be the master of himself, not this accursed pain. As he held up his right forearm before himself, wondering what in blazes could be happening, the Fuyutsuki that lived in his mind circled his desk and studied his agonized face. "Hurts, doesn't it, Ikari?" When Gendo looked back at him, gasping as sweat rolled down his face in sheets, the old professor smiled knowingly. "Yes, well…being born usually does…"

* * *

The creature that had once been Maya Ibuki couldn't remember being so perfectly content and at ease since her conscious mind had been shoved aside by a wave of Angelic instinct and primitive need. She was indulging in the one thing she truly needed right now, the only thing that eased the gnawing hunger that burned through her veins.

She was feeding.

Her mind and memory was fragmented at best, as it had been since her metamorphosis, but she remembered a creature, a woman. A magnificent woman with green skin and a powerful body. So rich and powerful, overflowing with the energy that was life to her. Every time she had been able to feed upon her had been nothing short of pure ecstasy, her power far sweeter and more invigorating than anything else the creature had sensed before. But the woman was not easy to feed upon, had fought back, trying to deny the creature the life she craved. In a way, on a very primitive level, the creature understood this; the woman wanted to live, just as the creature did. It was undoubtedly fighting back in order to keep the stuff of life that flowed through her veins.

But the creature's hunger would not be ignored or denied. It had shrieked at her, demanding her to fight to survive, to do whatever it took to feed. But ultimately, the woman had defeated her, trapping her. Capturing her.

While the creature had struggled to free herself, the woman carrying her along, bound and helpless, unable to feed, she had sensed something else. Another source of energy, similar to the woman, something else she could feed upon. Something possibly easier to drain than the woman that had fought back. But she had been unable to escape and seek out this sweet nectar until little men in black had appeared. The creature wasn't certain what had happened, as she had been facing in the wrong direction, nor did she care. All that mattered in her simple mind was that she had been given a chance to escape, to satisfy her hunger. So she had ran, escaping the magnificent woman. And then…

And then…she wasn't certain what had happened next. The creature had suddenly found herself wrapped in darkness, had sensed that she was being moved elsewhere, and that was it. She could sense nothing else, not the woman, nor the other source of life that had driven her to run. All she could sense was her growing hunger.

Eventually, the darkness had been lifted from her, revealing the creature was…somewhere other than where she had been. She couldn't tell where, nor did she care. All she knew was that, when she was released from the shroud of blackness, she was surrounded by the men in black, who were lying in pools of red. It was a sight that had been frightening for her, though she wasn't certain why. But that fear had been quickly swept away when she saw five women in strange garbs and green cloaks hovering a short distance above her. Women that were smaller than herself, but each emitted a portion of the energy that she had sensed before.

Hunger for their energy warring with a caution borne from facing the powerful woman, wary of what would happen if she attempted to satisfy her hunger, the creature had watched in confused awe as four of them had descended before her. They had worked to release her cable from about her forearms, allowing her to once again use her right hand. Then, to her astonishment, they had discarded some of their strange garbs, exposing their bare skin. Almost as if they had been presenting themselves to her.

As if giving her permission to feed.

The creature had not been able to resist. The energy in these cloaked women wasn't as potent or delightful as was in the woman she had been feeding upon before, but there were four of them before her. Even though the fifth was keeping her distance, did not shed her garments as had her fellows, what was being offered was tantamount to a banquet feast. And so she had grabbed one of the cloaked women with her right hand, and begun to feed.

The first cloaked woman had offered no resistance, did nothing to discourage the creature as her red skin faded before a fresh wave of green, her muscles again swelling with power, her bones crunching and rebuilding themselves for greater size and strength. As she moaned time and again in delirious ecstasy as her power grew, as the gnawing hunger slowly faded.

Eventually, the first cloaked woman collapsed, her strength mostly drained, but alive. The creature ceased feeding upon her, not wanting to kill to live. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't bring herself to rob the first woman of the precious energy she needed to survive. Especially when there were three more presenting themselves to her. And so she had started feeding on each of them in turn.

Finally, as the creature was feeding upon the fourth, she sensed something shifting in her. The relentless, gnawing hunger that had plagued since she had stopped being Maya Ibuki was fading away, more completely than ever. It no longer ate at every bone, every muscle, every nerve she possessed. It was subsiding, disappearing as new power began to radiate from within her, spreading deliriously throughout her being.

With a cry of consummate delight, the creature released the fourth of the cloaked women, who was now only barely able to remain on her feet, unlike the three the creature had fed upon beforehand. She felt vibrant and alive as she heaved deep, cleansing breaths, her breasts rising and falling as she bathed in new strength, as sheer power flowed through her.

As the creature stepped away from those she had fed upon, she noticed the fifth cloaked woman moving about, tending to her fellows. The first ones she went towards were those that could barely move, and one by one, she carried them out of the room they were in. The creature had no idea why she was doing so, but she didn't care any longer. She was full, she was whole, she was alive and had fed upon what she had needed to survive. She didn't want to hurt these cloaked women, not after they had allowed her to feed upon them, and so she let the fifth one go about her business, removing all four of her fellows from the room.

After this was done, the fifth cloaked woman returned, carrying something else. A figure as small as her, a figure that seemed oddly familiar. The figure was prone, completely still as the cloaked figure placed him on the ground nearby, resting him in one of the pools of red that were spread across the floor. The creature watched as the cloaked woman gathered some of the crimson liquid up in her fingers and began smearing it across the prone figure's face.

The creature simply stood there, watching with a spark of Maya's curiosity and concern. The notion that she should go someplace else never once occurred to her, simply because her needs were met, and there was no apparent danger. This place wasn't really pleasant, but she had no idea where to find someplace better. So she stood there, watching and waiting. Until…

She sensed it. The power radiated by the woman of power she had first fed upon. The woman that had resisted the feeding with such vigor. The creature could sense her approaching.

The creature frowned somewhat, uncertain what to do. Her first impulse was to leave before the woman arrived. She no longer had reason to fight her, now that her hunger had been satiated, and she really didn't want a battle to begin with.

But on the other hand, the green woman had pursued her, attacked her. Captured her. Even now, she was following her. She was potential threat to her when all the creature wanted was to survive.

And there was something else, something that made the creature grin in anticipation. For she could still feel the sheer nirvana she had experienced, feeding up that woman's power. A power that was far beyond that of the cloaked women that had freely given themselves to her. And she felt _so_ much stronger now, far stronger than she had ever felt before.

If drinking so deeply of the cloaked women had filled her with such strength and vitality, such pure, absolute power…than the creature couldn't help but salivate at the thought of what she could gain by drinking deep of this woman as well. Gaining even greater power, and stopping a potential threat that had hurt her before, and was clearly intent on hurting her again.

And so, the creature stood in waiting, holding up her metal hand, opening and closing it slowly. Eagerly awaiting the chance to feed once more…

* * *

_I don't like this,_ Misato growled as she trudged through the labyrinthine maze beneath the floor of the Geofront. Navigating the poorly lit maintenance tunnels with the aid of a sense she didn't really understand, playing a game whose rules seemed to being made up as they went along, and whose players weren't entirely accounted for.

_There's another Angel down here. Or at least someone else infected by this one,_ Misato continued, absolutely convinced of this. She had sensed another source of Angelic power, at the same time Maya had increased her efforts to escape. And she was too far away from the infection that had run through the rest of the base for it to interfere with her bizarre senses. _That can't be a coincidence. And neither can the fact that they both just disappeared without a trace!_

And now, Misato was again sensing the horrific power of Adam's children in her mind. Just the one she would have expected to sense. Maya's power. And as near as she could tell, it was unmoving. Like Maya was standing still, waiting for her.

_And if Maya has the same senses that I do, then she has to know that I'm coming,_ Misato rumbled inwardly, glancing down at her formidable form. _Which can only mean two things; either someone or something has captured her and is using her to lure me in, or she's waiting for me._ Growling deep in her throat, a sound that was more like thunder, she concluded, _Either way, it all adds up to one thing; it's a trap._

As this possibility burned in the pit of Misato's stomach, her other self continued to struggle and strain to get back control of their body, She-Hulk's unrestrained hatred and hunger for the destruction of the power they were pursuing a hideous, unrelenting thing.

_I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that, though,_ Misato thought as she continually fought down her other self's impulses. _My military training, my joining NERV…everything I've done for the past twelve years has been about getting revenge on the Angels._ Frowning unhappily at this thought, she once again flashed back to the horrors that had left her in a waking coma for three years. _Is that why She-Hulk is so strong, so hard to resist? Have I been feeding her all this time, and…?_

Pausing in mid-step, Misato frowned and shook her head. _No. I need to stay focused,_ she told herself. _I can wax philosophical about how badly screwed up I am after I save Maya, take care of this Angel, and get back and kick the asses of those Section 2 looters that were cleaning out my home away from home!_

_Smash puny men in black!_ the She-Hulk part of her snarled eagerly.

_Yeah, that's definitely on my 'to-do' list,_ Misato confirmed, not willing to get in a debate with her other self that could give her more fuel for her anger. _That…and finding something I can wear that won't get obliterated when I go green…_

Pausing just long enough to wish that she could get into one of these situations without winding up in the buff for everyone to see, Misato pressed onward, all business as she closed the distance between herself and Maya. _I hope it's just me, but her…whatever it is she's radiating…it feels stronger now,_ she mused, not liking that in the least. _She must've been feeding on something…other than me. Maybe whatever it was that I sensed before._

Recognizing that she was walking into a fight, Misato geared herself for it as best as she could. _I can't lose control…not even for a second. I give Greenie a chance, she'll screw up everything and maybe kill Maya while she's at it,_ she thought distastefully. _I can handle this. I can take Maya down without hurting her, and then Ritsuko can cure Maya. A happy ending…for a change._

Wishing not for the first time that happy endings in Tokyo-3 weren't as rare as miracles, Misato continued to close in on her target. Certain that she was as ready as she could be for what was about to happen as she turned a corner into another section of the tunnels.

Only to stop dead in her tracks at what she saw.

In the center of the room was Maya, standing completely bare and holding up her gauntleted right arm and hand. This Misato had expected, but what took her by surprise was the change in her friend. She was once again a deep green, and had grown considerably larger. She was about the same height as She-Hulk, and nearly as heavily muscled. But what really shocked her was the broad, eager grin on her face as she stared at Misato, the way the Major would eye a keg of Yebisu.

_Yeah, she's been snacking again!_ Misato thought as she tensed herself for battle. _But on…what…?_ A strong, metallic scent reached her sensitive nose. A scent that she recognized, and that prompted her to look about the room they were in. At which point her heart plummeted into the depths.

The small room they were in was filled with death. The shattered corpses of several Section 2 men lay strewn all over the place, their blood spilling across the floor. _Oh…oh, no…!_ Misato moaned, even her She-Hulk self taken aback by the carnage that they saw. By the realization that they were literally standing in the blood of the dead. _Oh, God…Maya, what have you...what has the Angel done to – Shinji?!_

It happened so quickly that it took Misato a second to realize what she was seeing. At first, she thought it was just another savaged body, but then she took note of the clothing that body wore; a short-sleeved shirt and pants. Then she noticed that this corpse was much smaller than the others there, and that his hair and face were…

_"Shinji?!"_ Misato and She-Hulk gasped out as one. There simply was no other way to explain it, the shared moment of mutual grief and horror and loss they felt as they looked into his face, forever frozen in horror and fear. His body shattered and broken, his blood spilling out across the floor to mingle with the others that had been killed.

Killed by the Angel.

Killed by _Maya._

"Help!" Maya grinned eagerly, drawing their shared eyes back to her. Her face eager and happy, not all concerned with all the death that surrounded her. "Feed!"

At this last word, Misato looked from Maya to Shinji's lifeless body and back again. Just before her world exploded with green…

* * *

"Shinji!" came an urgent voice. One that pierced the darkness that Shinji was veiled in. _"Shinji, wake up!"_

"Huh?" Shinji replied groggily, his mind filled with fog as he slowly climbed his way back to the waking world. As the voice repeated its cry, he frowned, just cognizant enough to realize that the voice was somehow familiar. And that, given the urgency with which the voice was calling his name, as well as the fact that he felt like someone was shaking him by the shoulder, prompted him to decide that opening his eyes might be a good idea. And so he did, only to blink rapidly at the fog of light he found himself in. "Wha…who…?"

"Shinji!" came that same voice, followed by a sigh of relief and a wearied chuckle. "You had me scared for there for a second!" A beat passed as the 3rd Child massaged his eyes, trying to get them to function as they should. "A-are you alright?!"

"Uh…y-yeah, I…I think so," Shinji reported, once again opening his eyes. Only to get a surprise when he did. "Uh – Akagi-san?" When Ritsuko gave him a relieved smile, he looked blankly about his surroundings, getting more baffled by the second. "Wha…how'd I get in this elevator…?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that!" Ritsuko admitted as Shinji struggled back to his feet. "I've been all over the place, trying to track down Maya and Misato, but with the security system still down, we have no idea where they are! I decided to take a chance, head down to the lower levels and hope I got lucky, but when I called the elevator…well, there you were!" As the 3rd Child issued a wearied groan, the faux-blonde again placed her hand on his shoulder. "Listen, do you have any idea where Misato or Maya are?! I finished the program to make the Angel work as one with Maya's body, but it's useless unless I can get it to her!"

Sighing heavily at this, Shinji replied, "The last thing I – that I really remember was falling into that hole with Misato and Maya." Pausing to dredge at his memories, he shook his head helplessly and shrugged. "I – I think I woke up a few times, but I – I didn't see Misato, or -"

Shinji was cut off by a huge, horrifying roar, a roar that shook all of NERV Headquarters, echoing through the hallways and causing the boy's blood to quake. It was an awesome, terrible roar, as if all the pain and misery and hatred and fury that all of humanity was capable of feeling were caught up in it. A manifestation of pure sorrow, misery, and rage that seemed to expand several seconds into an eternity.

When that awesome, petrifying roar ran its course, leaving silence in its wake, Ritsuko looked nervously about. "Well," she warily gulped, "I think we know where Misato is, don-?"

A massive shockwave shot up from the depths of the earth, very nearly sending both Shinji and Ritsuko tumbling to the floor. "Dammit!" the doctor cried out when she recovered. "Bridge, somebody talk to me! What just happened?!"

"What happened is that something just shot up to the roof of the Geofront, Doctor!" came Fuyutsuki's voice over the PA system. "We're not sure where it came from!"

"To the roof of the Geofront?!" Ritsuko repeated perplexedly.

"Make that _through _the roof, Doc!" came Makoto's voice, overflowing with alarm. "I'm getting readings from the Geofront's sensory net, and – oh, my _god…!"_ His stomach falling at the consummate fear and awe that filled the Lieutenant's low, horrified voice, Shinji felt his eyes practically explode from his sockets when the bespectacled otaku concluded, "It just punched through _fifteen_ of the defensive layers of armor!"

Now it was Shinji that was overcome with awe and dread, and he could tell that Ritsuko felt the same way. The Geofront was protected from Angelic attack by twenty-two layers of protective armor plating sandwiched between multiple layers of earth. When the 5th Angel had tried to breach those layers of defense, it had taken almost ten hours to do so. And now something had smashed through fifteen of them in the span of seconds.

"What was it?!" Ritsuko demanded, not quite concealing the panic she was experiencing. "Was it Misato?!"

A beat passed before Fuyutsuki announced, "I'm…afraid not, Doctor…"

* * *

Agent Tenkawa of Section 2 had seen his share of action since coming to Tokyo-3. He had witnessed the awesome power of both the Angels and the Evas alike, had been caught up in that horrific nightmare that was still known as the Day of Destruction, and had experienced bizarre situations that would make even the most hardened of tough guys make lemonade in their pants. It had gotten to the point where he had honestly believed that nothing could give him pause.

As he tried to keep his bowels from destroying his dignity, Agent Tenkawa was forced to admit just how wrong he had been.

The awful, mindless, savage roar he and the others had heard moments ago had been terrifying enough, the kind of thing to make anybody break out in gooseflesh. Made even more horrific when, without warning, the ground trembled and shook, followed an instant later by a large portion of it exploding like a bullet had just shot up from it. A very large bullet that hit with the force of a dynamo, followed by a series of crashing sounds that made thunder look tame and harmless by comparison. Hurriedly distancing themselves from the site of the huge mound that had resulted of the explosion, Tenkawa and his fellow Section 2 agents found themselves looking up at roof of the Geofront, and were rendered slack jawed by the sight of the new hole that had just been drilled into it.

"This…is bad…" Tenkawa heard himself mutter numbly, knowing all the while that those three words couldn't even begin to capture what was about to happen. He had no idea what was going on, but he had seen enough while in Tokyo-3 to know an utter and complete disaster was in the offing when he saw it.

As if in confirmation of his words, a second, even more pain and hate-filled roar thundered from the bowels of the Earth, chilling them all to the depths of their soul. Alerting them to the arrival of something horrendous even as the ground shook once more, and something else launched itself from the hole the first projectile had appeared from, shattering more metal and earth in its passing, trailing a burning green corona. It flew high up, not as high as the previous object, but impressively high before gravity reclaimed its hold on it and caused it to come crashing back to the floor of the Geofront. An impact that cracked the ground, sending shockwaves that sent Tenkawa and his people staggering.

"Wha-?!" one of the Section 2 people spat out, his voice mangled by shock and horror. "Wh-what the hell?!"

As far as Tenkawa was concerned, the speaker was correct in this statement. Except he knew this monster, had seen it before. And as much as it looked like something that had been spat up by the depths of hell itself, he knew it was something else. Something even more terrifying in his mind. A figure that he knew very well, but was completely different at the same time.

His training not entirely abandoning him, Tenkawa grabbed for his radio. "This is Agent Tenkawa to the bridge!" he cried out, barely keeping himself together. "I don't know where you sent the Evas, but you better get them and their pilots back down here! As in _right freakin' now!"_

"What's the situation, Tenkawa?!" came the voice of Fuyutsuki. "What's happening?! What do you see?!"

Watching as the creature that looked like nothing less than embodiment of pure destruction roared in pain and hatred, Tenkawa gulped loudly as another figure tumbled down from the Geofront, falling out of the hall it had just drill in it. "What do I see, sir?!" he got out as the plummeting figure hit ground, with the green monster marching towards it, sending shockwaves rushing through the earth with each step. "Pain, horror, and the end of the world! All wrapped up in one big, mean, green package!"

* * *

"You're telling me Misato _punched Maya through fifteen layers of defensive armor?!"_ Ritsuko cried out in horrified disbelief as she and Shinji ran down the halls of NERV.

"I'm afraid so!" Chihiro announced fearfully. "She's out there right now, and – Doctor, her gamma signature is through the roof! Power levels are completely off the charts here!"

"What about Maya?!" Ritsuko demanded as the two of them continued to run towards the exit. Heading for what could be the end of the world as they knew it, barely keeping their footing as the ground shook and trembled. "Is she still alive?!"

"I think so! Sensors are still a mess, but it looks like she's moving after falling out of that hole!" Shigeru announced. "But if she lets the Major get her hands on her, then I don't think she'll be alive much longer!"

This statement caught Shinji by surprise. "Huh?! You mean – they're _not_ fighting right now?!" he demanded perplexedly as another shockwave ran through the ground. "So – what's that shaking?!"

"Those are the Major's _footsteps,_ Shinji!" Makoto announced in a trembling voice. "She's causing an earthquake just by _walking!"_

Shinji very nearly fell flat on his face at these words, while his jaw felt like it did. Staggered with the shock of this declaration, he slowed down enough to look at Ritsuko, only to find that she was no longer beside him. _"What?!"_ came the doctor's horrified voice from behind, prompting Shinji to pause and look back to see her looking up at a nearby PA speaker. "Do you have any idea how much kinetic energy she must be generating to cause this kind of impact from just _walking?!"_

"Unfortunately…_yes!"_ Chihiro reported with a sense of gallows humor.

"Dr. Akagi, it's too dangerous for you to proceed," Fuyutsuki's voice sounded through the hallway, still dignified despite everything. "The Major's She-Hulk aspect is clearly in control, and her gamma output is increasing steadily. If you get too close -!"

"I can't just abandon Maya, sir!" Ritsuko immediately protested. "The program is ready! I can save her if -!"

"If you try to get between two destructive titans who are acting like a berserk Evangelion," Fuyutsuki broke in, employing the stern voice of the Sub Commander of NERV. "I'm sorry, Doctor, but it's too dangerous now. I'm afraid Ibuki's fate is out of our hands."

These words sank into the pit of Shinji's stomach, where they promptly began to fester and burn, with Ritsuko's expression of sheer despair serving to do little more than throw even more fuel on the fire. "But…no!" the doctor moaned despondently. "I…I just can't – Shinji?!"

That moan of sheer despair was as of that infamous last straw to the mounting pile of guilt and shame that Shinji felt, the last thing needed to make him turn once more in the direction of the main entrance to the NERV pyramid. To run flat-out towards the section of the Geofront that was once again a battlefield. _This is all my fault!_ the 3rd Child thought miserably, ignoring the crashing din that was Misato's – She-Hulk's footsteps. _I failed her! Misato needed me to stay in control! She was counting on me, and I let her down!_ Wincing as he thought back to that moment when there had still been a chance of him putting an end to the conflict, of stopping She-Hulk and saving Maya's life.

And now both women caught up in this nightmarish tragedy had returned to the original stage of this conflict. With only Shinji still missing from it.

_I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away!_ Shinji told himself time and again as he reached the exit and exploded from the pyramid doors. _I _won't_ run away! Never again!_

* * *

As Agent Tenkawa stood by, slowly backing away from what was sure to be a battle unlike anything seen before, he couldn't help but feel as if he was watching two slabs of uranium about to be slammed together.

The Section 2 man had seen Misato Katsuragi every now and again, either on the base or around town, and he had seen her brutish other self, She-Hulk, during the climax of her battle against Section 2. Tenkawa had been suitably impressed by the emerald Amazon and her overwhelming power, both then and earlier that night when she had battled the mutated Captain Ibuki.

However, the She-Hulk he was looking at now compared to the one he had seen not that long ago the way that She-Hulk compared to Misato Katsuragi. She was at least three feet taller than she had been before, veins bulging from the rippling titanium cables that were visible beneath virtually every inch of her skin, save for the cannons gracing her chest. Her eyes shown like jade flares as emerald energy spilled out from her body, shattering whatever she touched as she stomped forward, every breath she took causing the grass to blow backwards and tree branches to bend and even break. A dynamo of pure, unstoppable destruction unleashed upon the world, and she was marching towards the creature that had once been Maya Ibuki.

Clearly aware of her peril, Maya scrabbled to her feet, but she was moving with difficulty. Her bare body was in full view, giving Tenkawa a perfect view of the many scrapes and lacerations marring her emerald skin, green blood spilling out all over the place. Limbs that were bending in ways that betrayed numerous broken bones, and her metallic forearm a twisted and mangled wreck. And even though these injuries were healing before his eyes, the desperation with which Maya forced her battered body to move betrayed her terror. Terror that was reflected in her expression as she looked up to see She-Hulk, and although he couldn't hear Maya over the constant rumblings of She-Hulk's footsteps, Tenkawa had no doubt that her voice was raised in sheer terror.

_I know _mine _would be!_ Tenkawa thought as he and the rest of the Section 2 people slowly distanced themselves away as She-Hulk closed in on her opponent, her every movement overflowing with unbridled rage, plumes of emerald fury spilling forth from her eyes and even some from between her clenched teeth. Finally regaining her feet, Maya stumbled backwards from her adversary, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Holding out her hands in a universal gesture of pleading, as if begging for mercy, the mutant woman was denied this when the jade berserker reached out and grabbed her by her left wrist. Even at a distance, Tenkawa could hear the bones in her forearm being crushed by She-Hulk's implacable grip.

As Maya shrieked in pain, she thrashed about in She-Hulk's grip, wrapped her metallic right hand about the emerald berserker's wrist. As before, glowing green circuits appeared on her gauntlet, signifying that she was draining energy from her attacker. This last for roughly a second before She-Hulk grabbed Maya's right hand, and with no apparent effort, wrenched it off of her wrist. Crushing this hand as she had Maya's left wrist and forearm, the monstrous Amazon forcibly spread out her enemy's arms, leaving her suspended like laundry from a clothesline.

And then she roared.

The Impact Roar that tore free of She-Hulk's throat was as great and terrible as the green beast-woman herself had become, forcing Tenkawa and the Section 2 personnel to clasp their hands over their ears in a desperate attempt to muffle the pain. Helpless witnesses as Maya was trapped at the center of the devastating emerald shockwave, tears of blood running down her face as she shrieked her pain, shrieks that were drowned out by the Impact Roar carving a swath through the floor of the Geofront, causing trees, bushes, and foliage to burn away, melt and explode all at the same time.

As the Impact Roar ran its course, eventually fading after an unknowable amount of time, leaving Maya to hang limp in She-Hulk's arms, the jade destroyer snarled and pulled hard on her in opposite directions, as if trying to snap her like a wishbone. As her helpless victim again cried out in agony, her body being strained to the limit, Tenkawa cringed in anticipation, knowing it was only a matter of time before something gave.

As it happened, it was Maya's gauntlet that gave. Everything from the center of her right forearm to her metal hand ripped away from the rest of it, revealing her naked forearm beneath, entangled in a horde of cables and wiring that stretched out to an obscene length. As the new slack caused its wearer fell to the ground like a broken marionette, again wailing in torment, She-Hulk looked down at her, snarling in loathing before changing tactics. Releasing Maya's left forearm, she then grabbed the gauntlet just below the break. Stretching out the mass of cables, something the elicited even more cries of suffering from her victim, she then wrapped the cables about Maya's neck and pulled it taut.

Every member of Section 2 stood by as the cables compressed about Maya's throat, squeezing so tight that it seemed impossible that her spine could survive the pressure. As it was, the mutant woman flailed about helplessly, instinctually trying to run, to pull free. When all this won her was dragging She-Hulk a few scant feet, the emerald nightmare digging in her heels and pulling even harder, Maya reached back with her already-healed left hand and what was exposed of her right, flailing about to try and grab hold of something, anything. She-Hulk snarled viciously and delivered a punishing kick to Maya's spine, sending her whipping upwards in a half-circle, her eyes bulging from her sockets.

When she fell back to the ground, Maya grabbed hold of the cable with her left hand, scrabbling back to her feet. Frantically doing everything she could to escape, only for She-Hulk to jump up a short distance, raising a leg up so she could bring it crushing down upon her spine, driving her down into the earth as she continued to pull hard on the cable. No mercy in her features as her victim's struggles became weaker, her face turning a deep, ugly blue as she slowly ran out of air. She-Hulk issuing a roar of hatred, of misery, of –

_"STOOOOPPPP!"_

* * *

When Shinji had run off towards the place that was once again Misato's and Maya's battlefield, Ritsuko had done the only she could think of doing. She had set out after him, running as fast as she could. Her brain on overload as she tried to cope with everything that was happening.

Nothing about their current situation made any sense. Shinji's surviving a fall that would have splattered any normal human being, his sudden appearance in the elevator, and She-Hulk's current power levels. All of which Ritsuko lacked the information she needed to explain away. And at the moment, she was too overwhelmed and too frantic to think about any of these things.

All she could focus on was Maya. On the friend that was presently trapped in a nightmare. At that moment, Ritsuko didn't care about her wellbeing, or the fact that their best pilot was currently charging into a battlefield unprotected, or any of the thousands of things that could and most likely _would _go wrong in what they were doing. All she knew was that, for the first time in a seeming eternity, she had the ability to do something to help someone she cared for, and after everything she had been through, the quagmire of deceits and evils and secrets that was her life at NERV, the logical part of her that was a scientist was taking a backseat to the part of her that acted on feelings such as caring and friendship.

_Whatever's going on, we'll deal with it!_ Ritsuko told herself as she followed Shinji outside of NERV Headquarters, drawn by the screams and roars of a battle for survival. _We've pulled off the impossible in this damned war more times than I can count now! I do the impossible every day, dealing with the Evas and the MAGI and everything else! I don't care what I have to do, I'm keeping my promise, Maya! I _will _help you any way I can! I'm going to -!_

Ritsuko cut herself off when she saw Shinji staggering to a halt. The quiet boy very nearly fell over before he came to a full stop, hunched over with his jaw hanging open in utter and complete shock. "No…!" he moaned, his voice too low with awe and horror to truly convey the emotions that were carved into his expression.

And when Ritsuko snapped out of her inner musings, and followed Shinji's gaze past the Section 2 people and the other obstructions between them and the battle, she understood why. Her own look of horror matching Shinji's own at the sight of Misato, far larger and more destructive than she had been before. Lost in a berserker rage that would make Unit 01 at its worse look positively tame by comparison as she ripped apart the generator about Maya's right arm.

"No! The generator!" Ritsuko cried out, her heart plunging into the depths of her stomach. "That's our only chance of loading the program!"

Sucking in a tiny gasp at this, Shinji managed to tear his eyes away from the horror before them for the briefest of moments before again focusing on She-Hulk as she looped the cable from the generator about Maya's neck. "No…Misato, please…!" he pleaded in a tiny, desperate, fearful voice. "Stop…you have to…!"

The emerald savage Misato was trapped inside of didn't hear Shinji's pleas. She continued to strangle the life out of Maya, fighting her down and beating at her. Snarls of rage and grief escaping her lips as she turned all her monstrous strength towards the task of killing her friend.

"Don't do this…!" Shinji moaned, tears of fear and shame and misery. "Please…stop, you have to…!"

She-Hulk drove her foot down upon her victim's back, setting off another earthquake in the process. Maya tugging fruitlessly at the taut cable, gasping for air as her skin flushed from the lack of oxygen.

"Stop it, please! You have to stop!" Shinji got out, shaking his head in denial. "Misato, please listen!" Tears building up in size and frequency, the boy almost choked on his own sorrow. "Don't do this! _Misato! STOOOOPPPP!"_

This last word, carrying with it such pain and desperation that it sounded as if it had been torn from the very depths of Shinji's soul, cut through She-Hulk's roars and Maya's struggling, freezing the emerald titan in place. The jade destroyer fell silent as the cables she had been using as a garrote slipped from her hand, just before she slowly turned to look behind her. An expression of astonished disbelief on her face as her eyes fell upon Shinji, disbelief that was immediately magnified tenfold. "Please…don't do this, Misato!" Shinji pleaded of his transformed guardian. "I – I don't know what happened down there, but – _please_, you have to stop this!"

Seconds passed as the dumbstruck gamma mutant studied the boy before her, various emotions flowing mercurially behind her eyes "Shin…Shin…ji…?" She-Hulk gasped out, her words thick and confused. Her body jerking and twitching with unspent violence as she stepped away from Maya. While the life-stealer weakly pulled away the cables tangled about her neck, heaving breath after desperate breath, the monstrous woman held up her hands, her mouth opening and closing over and over before she gasped, "Shinji-kun…?"

Nodding hurriedly, Shinji slowly stepped closer, clearly striving to avoid doing anything to provoke her. "I-it's me, Misato! Please…don't hurt Maya anymore!" he entreated her. "I…I know you must be confused, but Maya isn't the enemy! We can -!"

"Shinji-kun…alive?" She-Hulk gasped out, her hands rising up before her face, not quite obscuring the way the rage fled her features, to be replaced by overwhelming joy and relief. Tears welling up in her eyes to come streaming down her face even as the corona of emerald destruction about her faded. As Ritsuko looked on in astonished silence, the jade berserker began to revert to her prior state. With each step she took, she became a bit less massive and muscular, the rage that had driven her to such heights fading like a morning fog. By the time She-Hulk came to stand before Shinji, she had returned to her baseline size of eight-feet-tall, at which she fell to her knees. "A-Angel…no kill…Shinji…?"

"No, no! Maya never hurt me, Misato!" Shinji quickly assured the jade giantess as she tenderly cupped his check with her monstrous hand. "I'm alright, don't you see? You don't have to hurt anyone, you don't -!"

_"Shinji!"_ She-Hulk cried out, her bestial voice overflowing with relieved delight as she scooped the boy up in her arms and clutched him to her chest. "Alive…!" she murmured, openly sobbing in relief and joy as she nuzzled his cheek with her own. "Shinji-kun…_alive…!"_

As She-Hulk continued to hug and cuddle Shinji, weeping uncontrollably, Ritsuko let out a low sigh. _Well, that explains one thing,_ she decided, already taking advantage of the situation to move past the sobbing mutant and her charge. _She-Hulk must've thought Maya had killed Shinji while they were down there. That's why she went berserk like that._ Pressing her lips together, the doctor continued forward, studying the prone figure that lay coughing and struggling on the ground just ahead. _At least Shinji was able to calm her down. That's one impossible thing done today. Now all I have to do is pull off another._

With this thought in mind, Ritsuko approached the battered figure before her, groaning fitfully as she propped herself off by her organic hand and knees. Her immediate focus on the generator the nanites had warped into the gauntlet about her arm, a piece of machinery that was already reforming and rebuilding itself. _I just hope they left enough of the generator's original design intact for this to work! Or else -!_

As Ritsuko drew closer, Maya took notice of her footsteps and looked up in her direction. And responded to it by getting to her feet, or at least trying to. The transformed woman gasped and cried out in fear, too afraid and confused to coordinate her body effectively, a situation made worse by whatever injuries she had suffered that remained unhealed. Wishing she had a better idea of what was going on inside of her cellular structure, the doctor held up her free hand in a disarming manner. "Maya, no! Please, don't run!" Ritsuko pleaded her, speaking in as soothing a manner as she knew how. Which she realizing wasn't very soothing, given her lack of people skills. "It's me, Dr. Akagi? Ritsuko, remember?"

Maya didn't say anything to this. Ritsuko wasn't certain if she was even capable of speech in her state. But she was still gathering herself up, as if preparing to flee at the slightest sign of a threat, even as her gaze drifted away from the doctor's eyes. Frowning somewhat, Ritsuko followed her friend's gaze before comprehension caused her to look back. "No, no, you don't have to worry about Misato anymore!" the doctor hurriedly assured her transformed friend, even as she did a quick double-check. Once assured that She-Hulk was too busy celebrating Shinji being alive by wrapping herself around him and pressing him as tightly against her as she could without hurting him, Ritusko considered what to say next. She could try to explain why Misato had attacked her, but she wasn't sure how much of Maya's keen mind remained intact at this point. She decided it would be better to keep things as simple as possible, and explained, "Listen…I'm here to help you. I know you're afraid and probably pretty confused, but I can make it better."

Maya didn't ease down from her current position, but she didn't move, either. Taking that as a good sign, Ritsuko carefully knelt down before her former understudy. "Do you remember how we were working to make it so that the Angel would work as one with the MAGI? To make it so it wouldn't hurt anybody?" the doctor told her slowly, hoping that there was enough of Maya awake in this new mutant's mind to be able to comprehend her. "Well, I finished the program. I can make it so that the Angel works as one with you. And when that happens, no one will want to hurt you anymore." A beat passed, then Ritsuko cocked her head to the side, and asked, "Do you understand?"

At first, Maya didn't respond. But as Ritsuko continued to kneel there, looking into the transformed face of her friend, her eyes widened ever so slightly, a hint of the woman she had been. "Not…hurt…?"

"That's right. They won't hurt you anymore," Ritsuko assured her, hoping that she was indeed speaking the truth. "But I need you to stay very still for me, alright?"

Maya didn't say anything to this, made no gesture that would imply she was giving permission, but she didn't move, either. Deciding that this would be about as good as she could get, Ritsuko heaved a deep sigh. Making doubly certain not to make any sudden moves, the doctor inched forward, always making certain to never look away from her friend's eyes. Inch after inch she moved, closing in on the generator, knowing that all it would take was one slip on her part or She-Hulk renewing her interest in smashing Maya into oblivion to ruin everything.

Neither happened, but Ritsuko refused to tempt fate until the job was done. As soon as she reached the generator, the faux-blonde set down the laptop, and pulled out the network cable. _Just hold still a little longer, Maya!_ Ritsuko thought as she examined the generator, the final bits of damage being mended. _And keep your fingers crossed…!_

To Ritsuko's amazement, luck was still with them that day. There was indeed a USB port on the surface, just below where Maya's arm fit into the transformed generator. _Exactly what we need…assuming it still works!_ The doctor thought as she hesitantly moved to insert the cable. _Let's hope the Angel didn't see any evolutionary need in wrecking it!_

With her goal in sight, Ritsuko watched her friend's face carefully even as she inserted the cable. Fortunately, while Maya was clearly wary, watching every move the doctor made, she didn't bolt, she didn't retreat, she didn't make move to thwart the doctor's efforts. She just sat there calmly as Ritsuko connected the laptop to the generator, and then pressed the enter key. Sending hundreds of lines of code scrolling across the laptop's screen before spreading to the generator, and hopefully the nanites within.

Ritsuko wasn't certain what exactly would happen when the complete program she had made amalgamated with the incomplete one contained with the potentially countless nanites melded with Maya's physiology. Leaving her unable to do anything but watch and wait as Maya studied the download, her eyes suddenly fluttering. Which was all the warning the doctor had before her transformed friend fell on her side, dragged down by the weight of the generator. "Maya?!" Ritsuko, glancing at the cable to make certain it hadn't been pulled out before checking on her friend. Watching as the program did its work.

Before the doctor's eyes, Maya's flesh began to pale, shifting from a deep green to a lighter green to a sickly yellow. Her muscle mass diminished while her skeleton restructured itself. It was a quick, smooth process, and in the span of half a minute, Ritsuko once again found herself gazing at her friend's human face, with only the fact that she was nude save for the transformed generator ruining the image.

"Maya?" Ritsuko began gently, looking into Maya's eyes as she looked back. The physical form was correct, but what about her mind? What damage had the Angel done to her friend that might not heal? "Can you…are you…?"

As Ritsuko fumbled, unsure how to phrase her question, unable to give voice to the terrifying possibilities that her imagination was conjuring up. Only to very nearly collapse when Maya smiled a tiny, weak smile. "Hello…" she began, sniffing lightly, "…sempai…"

Allowing herself the luxury of a deep sigh of relief, Ritsuko shoved aside the knowledge that this victory was only the beginning. That there was a great deal of cleanup needed to be done, and a great many questions that remained unanswered. But as she looked from Maya to Shinji, who was being loved and cuddled by a bare-naked, human Misato, and back again, she smiled. _It might not mean anything in the long run,_ she found herself thinking, her knowledge of things forbidden keeping her from a greater rejoicing, _but…at least I was able to make a difference. For once._

* * *

"I must say, I'm…surprised by all of this. As well as disappointed," Gendo intoned, forced to mop the perspiration from his eyes as he sat in the darkness, studying the holographic window containing the image of the bridge crew, including Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki. "Especially in you two, Sub Commander, Doctor."

A relatively brief amount of time had passed since Ibuki had been neutralized, time in which she and Katsuragi had been spirited back into NERV Headquarters. Just long enough for the bridge crew to gather themselves together to give a proper report on their treacherous actions to Gendo, detailing events that he knew more about than they did. And more than long enough for him to prepare himself to remind them of their positions in the grand scheme of things. That his was the ultimate power in NERV. "I gave you all explicit orders. You were to allow Section 2 to dispose of Ibuki," he intoned in the voice of doom. "This attempt at rescuing her was not only unauthorized, but it was also foolhardy."

"I won't argue with you about our going against your standing orders, Ikari," Fuyutsuki replied, the real Fuyutsuki with a life and a mind of his own. The one that had once been hellbent in putting Gendo in his place before the Commander of NERV showed him the futility of such actions, showing that he still had a streak of rebelliousness in him when he smiled and added, "As for our actions being foolhardy…given what happened to Section 2, and that we were successful when they…" Shrugging lightly, the old professor went on to say, "Suffice it to say, I don't think there's a person here who regrets making the choices we made."

_I can change that very easily, sensei,_ Gendo fumed, scowling dangerously despite knowing that the people on the bridge couldn't see him, not when he had disabled visual transmission from his end. "Your actions may have been successful, but that is no justification for such blatant insubordination." Makoto opened his mouth to protest, but the Commander of NERV was quick to cut him off. "Where is Ibuki now?"

"At NERV Medical, in decontamination," Ritsuko reported. "We gave her a tranquilizer, and we're already working on a way of safely removing the generator. However, we did an analysis of the nanites in her system." A beat passed as the doctor allowed herself a mild smile of triumph. "As near as we can tell, the program worked on her as well as it did on the MAGI. The Angel is now completely dormant, with no sign of any adverse effects. She doesn't even have any level of a blue pattern."

"Continue monitoring her, Doctor." Heaving a deep breath, clenching his teeth in an effort to keep control of himself. "And Katsuragi?"

"Pilot Ikari has already escorted her back to her quarters," Fuyutsuki informed him. "She's…upset about everything that's happened, but given what happened to the Section 2 team, that's understandable. We're going to check up on her as soon as we are finished here. Give her a preliminary debriefing on these events, see what she can tell us."

"Very well," Gendo muttered, wishing that he didn't have to keep mopping his face in order to see. "Initiate maintenance protocols and a security sweep of the base. With the defensive armor layers taking priority." Heaving a deep breath, he scowled at this former student and supposed lover in disdain before adding, "I'll be dealing with you more…thoroughly later. Ikari out."

With the press of a button, Gendo broke the connection to the bridge, then allowed himself to lay back in his chair. Heaving deep, pained breaths as his partly healed wound throbbed in agony. "Commander Ikari." Looking about to see the girl studying him, her eyes narrowed in concern, the Commander frowned as she went on to say, "You appear to be in considerable physical distress. Do you require medical attention?"

Gendo 's first impulse was to deny this. The idea of acknowledging any weakness of any kind was galling to him, an open invitation to those who would take advantage of that weakness. But as the pain continued to assail him and the heat seemed to grow ever worse, he was forced to admit that something was wrong, and it was getting worse. "Possibly," Gendo grudgingly conceded, recalling the blow from Maya's morningstar and deciding that it must have caused more damage to him than he had initially realized. Forcing himself to his feet, he paused to straighten out his uniform. "Prepare the medical chamber, and –"

Gendo's world exploded into pain, pain so harsh and terribly that he cried out despite himself. Pain so horrendous that it sent him crashing to his side, curling up into a ball. Pain so utterly overwhelming that it made it made him feel as if his right arm was literally on fire.

"I'd say it's too late for…medical treatment, Ikari," the Fuyutsuki in his mind intoned, a satisfied smile on his face. "But don't be afraid."

_Wh-what in the -?!_ Gendo thought incredulously, staring at what he thought was just a product of his own wearied imagination. _What madness is this?!_

"It's not madness, Ikari," Fuyutsuki intoned as Gendo glanced from him to his right forearm and back again. "It's simply…evolution."

His eyes widening in shock, Gendo let go another gasp of pain. Marginally aware of the girl moving to assist as he looked at his right forearm. Feeling his heart go cold at the sight of something bulging up beneath the fabric of his glove…

* * *

_I'm dead,_ Ritsuko thought as the holographic window disappeared, signifying Gendo had severed the connection between his private lair in the depths of Terminal Dogma and the rest of NERV.

In a way, Ritsuko was more resigned to this notion than frightened or alarmed. She had been at NERV for close to a decade now, she knew the darkness that lay behind the noble façade of trying to protect the world from the Angels. And she had seen the bodies of good people that had made the mistake of trying to defy Gendo as she had, with the constant threat of death a knife at her throat, keeping in her line. Reminding her that to defy the Commander of NERV was to court death.

She had known that when she had consciously made the decision to defy Gendo, to try and save Maya. And as Ritsuko stood there, knowing that his judgment would soon be falling squarely upon her head, she didn't feel afraid, or nervous or even concerned that she may well have signed her own death warrant.

All Ritsuko could think of Maya's smiling face as she had been escorted back to NERV. Safe, sound, and whole after a nightmarish experience that she wouldn't wish upon anyone.

_Too bad it doesn't wash away any of the other dirt on my soul,_ Ritsuko thought, reality dimming her satisfaction. _I wonder if I'll feel this way when Gendo –_

"You know the Commander's gonna kill us for this."

Ritsuko started, looking about, wondering why Fuyutsuki would be speaking such things in public, only to catch herself when she realized that it hadn't been the Sub Commander that had spoken, but rather Makoto. The bespectacled otaku was sitting at his station, looking at the other two members of the bridge staff, with Shigeru nodding. "Tell me about it," the long-haired guitarist grimly nodded. "Maybe I should get to work on my will and get it over with."

"Not much point in me writing a will," Chihiro noted with a wry smile. "Still, I could leave my organs to science."

"Maybe I'll do the same," Makoto remarked. "Seriously, if the Commander had his way, disobeying him would be punishable by death!"

"What makes you think it _isn't?"_ Shigeru wondered in a joking manner.

_Ah, I get it,_ Ritsuko thought, smiling and envying their innocence as they joked, relaxing and relieving the natural stress that built up in a major crisis. The same sort of thing that happened after every battle with the Angels. People joking, making conversation, celebrating the fact that they were still alive. _I wish I could make jokes about that sort of thing. Then maybe I'd –_

"You know, I'm kinda starting to envy the Major right now," Makoto stated, cutting through Ritsuko's thoughts.

_"Envy_ her?" Chihiro incredulously repeated. "Makoto, she's a prisoner in NERV with a monster in her body! That doesn't seem like something I'd envy!"

"Yeah, seriously! Shigeru chimed in. "Now, maybe if all that muscle was _hers_ and not the other girl's, I could understand it. But -!"

"No, no, that's – ha – that's not what I meant," Makoto replied, holding up his hands in protest. "It's just…well, think about it! She-Hulk…she's unstoppable, right? All the Major has to do is get mad, and pretty much _nothing _can even slow her down! Anything messes with her, she can just punch it right out of existence!" When this statement earned him a couple of scowls, the otaku shifted about uncomfortably in his chair before correcting himself. "Well, not just _anything!_ I mean, I never meant – I was just saying that -!"

A laugh from Chihiro brought the bespectacled otaku up short. "Relax, we know what you meant," she assured him with a pleasant smile. "But what does that have to do with you _envying_ her?"

"Simple; the Commander can't kill her," Makoto quickly explained. When Shigeru and Chihiro exchanged puzzled glances, the bridge tech continued. "She-Hulk has shrugged off an Angel, an N2, Rhino and more! All they managed to do was piss her off! Seriously, how would even the _Commander_ kill someone like that?"

Again, Shigeru and Chihiro exchanged glances, but this time, looks of amusement crossed their faces. "Okay, I admit it," the guitarist conceded. "That's a good point."

"Definitely," Chihiro nodded. "Being basically indestructible, that's _got_ to be the _best_ life insurance of all time."

Initially chuckling at this remark, Ritsuko sucked in her muted laughter as something in her current understudy's words struck a chord. _Wait...indestructibility..._ she thought, something in her pouncing on this simple nonsense statement like a lion would its prey. _The best life insurance…Gendo couldn't hurt her..._ What had once been a simple jest began bouncing around the chamber of secrets and science that was the doctor's mind, where it quickly snowballed into something else. _Yes…yes, that could…_

"Doctor," came another, more dignified thought. Snapped from her inner musings, Ritsuko looked about to see Fuyutsuki's wearied, sympathetic face gazing at her. "I think we should go downstairs and see the Major." When the faux-blonde made a noise of confusion in her throat, the old professor explained, "I realize that it's late, but – we need to debrief her. Also, you mentioned that Shinji said some things in passing that could be of interest…?"

"Huh? Oh, right, right, of course!" Ritsuko replied, clamping down on the urge to smack her forehead. "Yeah, we…we'd better go see them. Sorry, sir."

"No need to apologize, Doctor. Least of all to me," Fuyutsuki assured her with a polite bow of his head. "Come. There's still a great deal that needs to be done, and long time before either of us will have a chance to rest."

"Tell me about it," Ritsuko admitted as she started forward. But as she and Fuyutsuki made their way off the bridge, her thoughts quickly began drifting in a different direction.

_I already was toying with the idea of cooking up some kind of super health serum,_ Ritsuko thought, recalling her mad dash through NERV and how it had quickly left her sore and tired. Of the genetic samples and research materials and equipment available to her. _Why not make a few other improvements while I'm at it...?_

* * *

"And that's the last thing I remember," Misato concluded, recounting the events of that day as they had happened from her perspective. "Everything after that is just a big jumble...until I woke up and found Shinji in my arms."

At these words, Misato tightened her grip on the boy in question, prompting Shinji to gulp loudly, his cheeks burning that much more. For while the normally shy boy was growing more and more used to being hugged and cuddled by the purple-haired woman and her primal other self, he certainly wasn't used to the idea of doing so while having others watching him and her embrace. Especially when the people in question were Fuyutsuki and Ritsuko, and especially while it was during an official debriefing.

But as discomforted by the situation as he was, Shinji couldn't find it in his heart to protest. Especially not after everything Misato had been through that day.

The instant Misato had reverted to her human form and found Shinji in her arms, she promptly began crying and hugging and cuddling him as She-Hulk had when she had discovered him to be alive. During the time they were being escorted back to her secure quarters within NERV, the purple-haired woman had utterly refused to be out of contact with him, not even for an instant. Even now, dressed in a simple medical gown and with Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki watching, Misato sat on her sofa, her arms and legs wrapped about Shinji as if she was terrified to let him go for even an instant.

"Well...that certainly explains your...other self's rage in battle," Fuyutsuki remarked, nodding his understanding. "Dr. Akagi told me that She-Hulk had believed the boy to be dead...but...what you've told us..."

"It must have been horrible," Ritsuko concurred, her normally hardened features soft with sympathy. "And...you really thought that Shinji was in there? With the dead agents?"

Sniffing loudly, Misato nodded and replied, "I...I could have _sworn_ that it was him. He was just lying there, covered in blood with the rest of them. And Maya, she...she looked so happy...even with all of them..."

As the emotion of that moment proved too much for the Major, Fuyutsuki moved to place a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "I understand, Major. I've seen a great deal of death over my lifetime. And no matter what anybody says, it never gets easier." As Misato continued to clutch Shinji securely to her, the old professor moved back a bit and once again assumed the posture that was normally associated with the respectable Sub Commander. "You should know that we...already sent a search team investigate the point from which you and Ibuki...emerged from the maintenance tunnels. They found the bodies you told us about."

"Yeah, well…you'll excuse me if I don't shed any tears over them," Misato muttered sourly. "Not after what happened with Spirit…and _especially _not after what they did to this place!"

Despite wincing at this venomous statement, Shinji could hardly fault Misato for being upset over this violation over her quarters. The furniture, the floors, everything was even messier than she had once allowed her apartment to get, almost half of her collection of DVDs and video games seemingly vanished, courtesy of Section 2's sticky fingers. Added to this the fact that they had completely cleaned out the refrigerator and had left her cupboards mostly bare. "Uh…I'm sorry, Misato…" he quickly assured her, not certain what else he could say in this case. "I'll…as soon as I get back, I'll…I'll get to work on…replacing everything, and -!"

"And I'll see to it that you are both duly compensated for what happened," Fuyutsuki assured them. "Section 2 was sent here to keep an eye on you, Major, not to loot and plunder your home. And for that, I will see that Chiron makes fair restitution." Then the old professor issued a worn, wearied sigh. "Unfortunately, I fear that dealing with the aftermath of Ibuki's transformation will not be nearly so easy."

At this, Misato's own annoyance swiftly faded. "I know. Especially when we tell her that…" the Major began, only to trail off. "I mean…Section 2 may all be a bunch of bastards, but…"

As Misato again trailed off, all of them gathered made similar expressions of sorrow and uncertainty. "I…I still can't believe that Maya...that she would _do_ that!" Ritsuko reported, shaking her head woefully. "She - she won't even touch a gun, and -!"

"But it wasn't Maya, Akagi-san!" Shinji protested, unwilling to watch such suffering. "It...it must've been the Angel! It did this to her, and...well...!"

Frowning at how woefully inadequate these words sounded in his ears, Shinji trailed off in a helpless sigh. Only to be surprised when Ritsuko gave a weak smile. "I know that, Shinji. It...it's just..." Shaking her head in slow frustration, the doctor shrugged helplessly. "How am I going to tell this to Maya?! That this thing used her body to commit cold-blooded murder?!"

"You don't know it was murder," Misato quickly pointed out. "Section 2 was down in the maintenance tunnels, looking for her. They probably tried to take her down, and...she just...tried to..."

"Defend herself?" Ritsuko concluded, shooting her friend a penetrating look. When Misato averted her eyes, the doctor gave her a lopsided frown. "I already considered that, Misato. But no matter how it happened, Maya is still going to look at it as murder. And believe that the blood of those agents is on her hands." Pausing to study her friend, the doctor frowned sadly. "You of all people should understand what that's like."

As darkness borne of her own pain and dual existence cast shadowed the purple-haired woman's features, Shinji opened his mouth to protest. But before he could even utter a syllable, Misato loosened her grip on him. "You're right," she conceded, shifting to better look Ritsuko in the eye. "I _do_ know what that's like. And I know how hard it's going to be for Maya to accept what happened to her." As Misato lowered her gaze, Shinji looked on, studying her face, seeing memories rife with pain and fear flash across her features. "But...I don't want her to have to go through what I did when I found out about what I'd become."

"None of us do, Major," Fuyutsuki assured her. "But one way or another, she's going to have to deal with the reality of her situation. Regardless of the Angel's influence over her, Captain Ibuki is responsible for the deaths of several Section 2 agents. And while no one in good conscience could condemn her for what happened, it doesn't change anything."

"I realize that, sir." Pressing her lips together in consideration, Misato glanced from Ritsuko to Fuyutsuki and back again. "Listen, uh…if it were alright, I could…I dunno, I could try talking to Maya about this later? Try and…help her deal with…what happened?"

A look of appreciation appeared in Ritsuko's eyes, one she shared with Fuyutsuki, who nodded in turn. "We would have to arrange for Captain Ibuki to be brought here, for…obvious reasons, but…it couldn't hurt."

As Misato smiled in response, Shinji focused on Ritsuko. "So…you were able to cure Maya, right?" he asked worriedly, thinking of the gentle woman that had so been violated. "She's…she's going to be alright, isn't she?"

"Well, nothing's certain. But so far, things are looking pretty good. The people at NERV Medical had been examining Maya, and we should have no trouble removing the generator. And once that's gone, the nanites still in her system should remain dormant indefinitely." To Shinji's surprise, Ritsuko's smile broadened. "And even better, it looks like we might be able to salvage something from this mess."

"What do you mean?" Misato wondered.

"The generator. The one Maya was using?" Ritsuko began, taking on the familiar voice of a scientist warming to a lecture. "We've conducted a preliminary analysis, and –"

"Pardon my interruption, Dr. Akagi," came Fuyutsuki's voice, stopping the words in Ritsuko's mouth, "but…I would prefer to finish the debriefing before we move on to that particular matter." A beat passed before the faux blonde nodded her assent. "Now, we have your version of these events, Major Katsuragi, but there are still a great many holes in our account of what happened today." Swinging his gaze towards Shinji, the old professor narrowed his eyes. "Pilot Ikari, you were seen falling down the shaft along with Ibuki and Katsuragi. By all accounts, you should be dead. But not only are you alive, but you turned up in an elevator, and I have not been given any explanation as to how you survived."

Sucking in a tiny breath as Misato tightened her embrace, Shinji shrugged helplessly. "I…really don't remember a lot, sir," he admitted, painfully aware of how lame that sounded. "I…when I was falling down the shaft, I…I saw someone…falling towards me. I couldn't really see much, but…I felt something grab me, and…then I blacked out."

"And…that's it?" Fuyutsuki wondered, his features creased with mild disapproval. "That's all you can remember?"

"It's…all I can remember…really clearly, sir." Shifting about uncomfortably as Misato directed a look of concern at him, Shinji continued with, "I…there were a couple flashes. Nothing that…really made any sense." As he continued to sift through the fragments that floated up from this period of sporadic consciousness, the 3rd Child frowned. "Uh…except…"

"Except?" Misato prompted. When Shinji turned to look at her, the purple–haired woman cocked her head to the side. "C'mon, Shinji-kun. We're not interrogating you. Just tell us what you can remember."

"That's right. This is just a preliminary debriefing," Fuyutsuki seconded. "We're just trying to put some of the pieces together. And anything you can tell us in this matter would be of great help to us all."

Glancing from one face to another, seeing the expectant expressions trained on him, Shinji focused on the brown eyes before him. "I…at one point, I woke up…and I saw someone," he tried once more. "It…it felt like she was…carrying me."

"She?" Ritsuko broke in with a raised eyebrow. "Was it Maya?"

Shaking his head to this, Shinji replied, "No. It…she was too small. And…I think I saw something. Two somethings." A beat past before he went on to add, "I…they looked like were rising and falling, but…that's all I can really remember."

"Two somethings…rising and falling," Fuyutsuki intoned, giving Shinji a hard look. "Like…wings flapping?"

As Ritsuko gave the Sub Commander a hard look, Misato frowned and blurted out, "Wait…you mean Spirit?!"

Wincing at the mention of this name, a name and identity that was only the thing keeping a good friend safe, Shinji shifted about uncomfortably. "I…I guess so," he eventually conceded with incredible reluctance. "I…it couldn't have been anyone else." Then the boy glanced about at the faces looking at him and asked, "But – why would she be down here?"

"Why _wouldn't _she?" Ritsuko quickly asked. "She's on the scene of _everything_ involving the Angels or She-Hulk. Why wouldn't she show up here when we have _both_ on the loose?"

"Besides, Major, didn't you mention that you were somehow able to…sense the presence of the Angels?" Fuyutsuki remarked in a way that showed that he wasn't asking a question.

"That's right," Misato nodded. "It…seemed to work better when I was She-Hulk, but…yeah. I can sense them…somehow."

Returning this nod, Fuyutsuki turned about, folding his hands behind his back. "Then it stands to reason that Spirit has a…similar capability. And that when the Angel manifested down here, she took it upon herself to break into the Geofront and investigate." The old professor paused at this, quirking an odd smile. "Of course, given NERV's…current policy towards creatures such as herself, she was cautious. Keeping out of sight as best as she could."

"Then when she notices you and the others falling into the hole, she swoops in for the rescue. Keeping out of sight until she can find a safe place to put you." Ritsuko nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense."

"And it would also explain the second Angelic power source you said you noticed down there, Major," Fuyutsuki concluded. "It must've been Spirit, poking around to see what was going, and trying to help Pilot Ikari. And she could also have been the one Ibuki had fed upon to achieve her increased power levels."

This all made sense, Shinji was forced to admit, save for one detail. "But – how'd she get down here and save me and get out without anybody noticing her?" the 3rd Child protested. "With Section 2 and everybody else…wouldn't _someone _have seen her?!"

"There's still a great deal about Spirit's full capabilities that we don't know about," Ritsuko admitted. "For all we know, she can turn invisible, or maybe even move through walls."

_I'm pretty sure that she can't, Akagi-san,_ Shinji thought, recalling his conversations with the girl in question, who had made sure to list all her powers. With invisibility and intangibility not being among them. _Still…it can't hurt to ask her when I have the chance…_

"Until we have proof to the contrary, we'll assume that Spirit is responsible for at least some of these…anomalies," Fuyutsuki declared, making it clear that he would brook no protest to this statement. "A full-on investigation still needs to be made, but…I think we have most of the needed facts for now." Then the old professor glanced over at Ritsuko, the corner of his lip curling up. "In which case, Dr. Akagi…I believe you had something you wish to share with the Major…?"

Issuing a tiny gasp, Ritsuko beamed happily. "Oh, right! The generator!" Looking as if she were tempted to smack herself in the forehead, the doctor turned her focus on Misato. "Well...Misato, you said that you were able to remember what happened during that battle, right?" The purple-haired woman responded with a nod. "So you remember what happened when Maya used the generator on you."

"Yeah, I remember. And it was pretty creepy, if you ask me!" Misato retorted. "What about it?"

"Simply put, Maya was able to use the generator to extract the gamma energy that fuels your transformations from your cellular structure. And all without causing you any apparent harm." Growing visibly more excited by this, Ritsuko continued, speaking with her hands as well. "So now that the program we used on the MAGI has been loaded into the nanites that are in Maya and the generator, we can control them as easily as we can the MAGI."

Blinking a few times at this, Misato gave her friend a hard look. "And...we want to do this...why?"

"To cure you, Misato," Ritsuko went on, unable to keep the grin from her face. When both the Major and Shinji looked up in surprise, the doctor held up her hands and continued. "Now, I know I might be jumping ahead of things here, but - I think this can work! We can use the generator to siphon off the gamma energy in your system without harming you! And without the gamma energy, you won't be able to transform anymore!"

"No more gamma energy, no more She-Hulk," Fuyutsuki intoned with a smile. "You'll be able to go back home, to your life."

For a long time, both Shinji and Misato were unable to do anything, save for stare at Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki, unable to think, unable to do anything at all. They sat there, with the 3rd Child's mind slowly processing what he was being told. _Misato...won't have to stay here anymore...?_ he finally thought, barely daring to believe that this could be true. _She...she'll be able to come home...? She'll...?_

"Are you...serious?" Misato demanded, awe warring with uncertainty. "I mean...you're planning on using part of an _Angel _here! Are you sure that -?!"

"No, not yet. But the theory _is _sound," Ritsuko conceded. "That's why we're going to be spending some time running simulations, making certain that this will work before we go ahead and make an attempt." Then the doctor cocked her head and added, "But even if that doesn't pan out, we have another possible cure in the works. I was making plans for testing it when this whole mess happened."

"So either way, it's only a matter of time before you're cured...and She-Hulk is little more than an ugly memory," Fuyutsuki quickly assured them.

As Shinji struggled to process what was being said, he found himself instinctively looking at the woman whose imminent emancipation had just been declared. Only for him to find Misato with her eyes lowered, a pensive expression on her face. "M-Misato?" he hesitantly began, uncertain as to what was keeping this from being a moment to celebrate for her. "Wh-what is it?"

"That's what I want to know!" Ritsuko seconded, giving her friend an incredulous look. A mild laugh sounding in her throat, the doctor hesitated before asking, "What's the matter, Misato?! I thought for sure you'd be doing cartwheels at this!" When the purple-haired woman didn't say anything, Ritsuko rolled her eyes, "Look, I understand that we still have to do a bit of testing, but - really, it's only a matter of time, and -!"

"That's -" Misato broke in, frowning uncertainly as she looked up at her friend. "That's...not it, Ritsuko."

Incredulity swiftly shifting to confusion, Ritsuko studied her friend for a time before asking, "Then...what is it?"

A pregnant silence filled the room as Misato hesitantly glanced at Shinji, then focused on the doctor. "Ritsuko..." the purple-haired woman began, her voice a soft, frail thing. "The reason we want to get rid of She-Hulk...is because she can't be controlled, right?" A beat passed before she elaborated with, "She's a monster, she's dangerous...too dangerous for us to risk letting her out."

Her face falling in shock, Ritsuko looked up at Fuyutsuki, as if silently asking if she had heard her friend correctly. When the old professor nodded, the doctor slowly returned her attention to Misato. "Well...yes!" Ritsuko eventually said, a nervous chuckle to her words. "I mean - we all saw what happened when She-Hulk went berserk out there! She nearly killed Maya, and she...she could have destroyed Tokyo...3...and..." the faux-blonde trailed off in confusion, becoming even more baffled as Misato just sat there, eyes lowered to the floor. "What are you trying to say, Misato?"

Another long, heavy silence fell upon them all as each of them focused on Misato. Only to be shocked to their cores when she said, "I...what I'm trying to say is...I don't want to get rid of She-Hulk." A beat passed as she focused on Shinji, driving home her previous statement with, "I don't want to be cured."

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter certainly has been a long time coming! Hope it was worth the wait! Please, read and review! And maybe check out some of my other stories?

I know it's been a while since I last updated, what with real life jabbing me with a knife as it were. But with any luck, you'll be seeing an uptick in my productivity in the not-too-distant future. Fingers crossed.

cdog21, sorry to keep you waiting so long, but I hope this latest chapter was worth it. And I' m certainly toying with the notion of Misato getting to that point of She-Hulk unity...with a few added twists, of course.

IncandescentOne, thank, I really wanted to get Misato's inner struggle down pat. From the looks of it, I did a pretty good job.

CaramelnCake, no, this isn't based off of Rebuild, but on classic NGE. With a few added tweaks, courtesy of yours truly.

Gundam Kaiser, well, hotness is in the eye of the beholder, as it were. Thanks for the villain suggestions, by the way.

Belthasar, the way Misato's condition will affect her growing relationship with Shinji is one of the many things I intend to cover in the future.

Panther-Strife, a harem story is always a possibility. What powers would I give Shinji, I'd be willing to hear you out, though I might toy with the possibility of giving him Sentry's powers.

Xardion. I certainly enjoyed having She-Hulk deal with Chiron as well. And yeah, having Misato be in total control like that would have been too easy. This is still an Evangelion story, after all.

artifactBC, you want big abuse for Chiron? Then you are going to be very happy in the future!

animefan29, Misato and She-Hulk are starting to work together, but it will take a bit of time before they get past the Teeth-Clenched Teamwork stage.

Mike313, as you can see here, it didn't take Ritsuko long at all to hit upon the idea of using the generator to drain Misato's gamma energy. As for Giganta, I thought the DCAU version came off fairly well.

Negima Uzumaki, what exactly happened to Shinji will have to remain one of life's little secrets, at least for now.

Quathis, I've never thought of Shinji as a coward. It's just that he really doesn't like conflict, and the degree he steps up to the plate depends more or less on how bad things are. And as you learned here, getting out of this mess took some real doing.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, it's time for some omakes!

Omake 1

"I won't argue with you about our going against your standing orders, Ikari," Fuyutsuki replied, the real Fuyutsuki with a life and a mind of his own. The one that had once been hellbent in putting Gendo in his place before the Commander of NERV showed him the futility of such actions, showing that he still had a streak of rebelliousness in him when he smiled and added, "As for our actions being foolhardy…given what happened to Section 2, and that we were successful when they…" Shrugging lightly, the old professor went on to say, "Suffice it to say, I don't think there's a person here who regrets making the choices we made."

_I can change that very easily, sensei,_ Gendo fumed, scowling dangerously despite knowing that the people on the bridge couldn't see him, not when he had disabled visual transmission from his end. "Your actions may have been successful, but that is no justification for such blatant insubordination." Makoto opened his mouth to protest, but the Commander of NERV was quick to cut him off. "Where is Ibuki now?"

"At NERV Medical, in decontamination," Ritsuko reported. "However, you should know that there appears to have been a…lingering side effect of her transformation. A psychological effect, to precise."

"What manner of psychological effect?" Gendo demanded pointedly. "Is she be influenced by the Angels?"

"No, nothing like that, sir. As near as we can tell, this is a direct result of her battle with She-Hulk; it has nothing to do with the Angel," Ritsuko quickly assured him. Then, with a tiny smile creasing her face, she added, "Let's just say that it's…something I will be tending to…personally."

* * *

"Just relax, Maya!" Ritsuko cried out as she frantically worked her patient. "It's going to be just fine!"

"I – _ah!_ – know that – _ugh!_ – sempai!" Maya replied, panting heavily as Ritsuko continued her work. "Just – _yeeuuaw!_ – keep – _ooh!_ – going!"

"Don't worry, I will!" Ritsuko assured her. "Let's see…I think I've given this whip enough of a workout. Let's try out those spiked gloves I found!"

As Maya grinned deliriously at this, the three bridge bunnies looked on from a safe distance, scarcely able to accept that they were seeing what they were seeing. "I don't believe this," Makoto groaned. "You work with a girl for years, you think she's the quietest, sweetest, most normal girl the world has ever seen, and then you find out she's into something like _this…!"_

"I know what you mean," Chihiro nodded, turning a sickly green as Ritsuko worked the spikes on her gloves into Maya's shoulders, with the brunette moaning in pleasure. "Maybe it was that fight with She-Hulk. Maybe it…I dunno…woke up some kind of masochistic part of her…maybe?"

"What _I _want to know is, where the heck did Dr. Akagi get that outfit?!" Shigeru demanded, taking in the thigh-high leather boots the doctor wore, as well as a leather top that showed plenty of cleavage, full length gloves, and a spiked collar about her neck. "And what was she using it for before now!"

"Oh, sempai!" Maya cried out gleefully. "It hurts so _good!"_

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!" Ritsuko assured her, already rummaging about for her next implement of pain. All the while the bridge staff shuddered in horrified disbelief.

Omake 2

"Uh…Misato?" Shinji asked nervously, his cheeks burning brightly.

"Yes, Shinji-kun?" Misato replied as she happily massaged his cheek with her own.

"Umm…" Shinji hesitantly began. "Do you…think you could…let me go now? I – I'm alright, and…you know I wasn't hurt or anything, right?"

"I know, I know!" Misato assured him, pulling back just enough to be able to look him in the face. "But – Shinji! When I thought you were dead, I…I just…"

As tears appeared in Misato's eyes, a low, feminine growl was heard from somewhere off to the side. "We know, Misato," Asuka growled impatiently. "We heard all about it…about two weeks ago! Now will you knock it off already?!"

To Shinji's dismay, Misato showed no intention of heeding Asuka's demand. The purple-haired woman remained wrapped about him, her legs clamped about his waist and arms draped about his shoulders, just as she had been so for virtually every hour of every day since the disastrous battle with the Angelically infected-Maya. Leaving the 3rd Child with little choice but to go through his every day schedule with Misato clamped to him like a remora, and forcing NERV to obtain a special dispensation to allow him to go to school while virtually wearing his guardian.

"Who'd _want _her to get off?!" Toji wondered, giving Shinji an envious look.

While Hikari speared the jock with a dirty look, Kensuke chimed in with, "I'll say! Shin-man's pretty much living the ultimate dream right now!"

As Shinji wondered if Kensuke would think that if he realized that he had to go to the bathroom with Misato attached, and had to be with her when she had to relieve herself as well, Asuka snorted irritably. "Whatever! I'm so sick of this!" the German declared, eyeing the Major irritably. "Thanks to you, I'm way behind in my homework, the Third can't do his share of the chores, and -!"

"You mean because you stuck Shinji with doing all your homework?" Misato shot back. "And when you say Shinji can't do his share of the chores, don't you mean _all _the chores, including yours?" When Asuka sputtered angrily, the purple-haired woman clung even more tightly to him, practically driving her chest into Shinji's face. "Hmph! And you wonder why I'm so worried about my Shinji-kun?"

Growing visibly more flustered. Asuka marched up to the two of them. "I'm serious, Misato!" she declared, tufts of hair curled into perfect devil horns. "Get off the baka this second, or I'll -!"

Misato swung her gaze towards the irate German and growled loudly, her eyes sparking a familiar shade of green. Asuka responded to this by jumping backwards like she had been about to step on a rattlesnake. Satisfied that she had cowed the bombastic redhead, Misato returned her full focus to cuddling Shinji.

As Asuka beat a hasty retreat, Toji chuckled wickedly. "No matter how many times Misato-sama does that, it never gets old!"

"What _I'm _hoping for is the Red Devil finally pushing her too far and she transforms!" Kensuke smirked. "Not only do we get to see Misato bust out of her clothes, but we also have the Red Devil launched into orbit!"

"Yeah, a real two-for-one deal!" Toji agreed. Leaving Shinji to sigh wearily, wondering what he could have done to deserve all this.


End file.
